The Men In White
by doncaster
Summary: A mysterious man in white realises there is a serious flaw in the worlds protection. But what can be done? Set after the events of Twilight Princess but with influence from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s mask. Everything will be explained. please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

This is a land of heroes, a land of noble men and still nobler deeds

This is a land of heroes, a land of noble men and still nobler deeds. But to for each hero, for each good deed done there must be an evil to over come. This place of bravery and villainy is seemingly tranquil, like the calm at the eye of the storm. This is the land of Hyrule and it has been three years now since Ganondorf was once more defeated, perhaps forever and Zant too was thwarted. It would seem, therefore that peace will forever be upon the realm now. But this will forever be a land of heroes and thus forever and land of villains. This sad fact has been realised by one, seemingly normal man. He has also realised something perhaps even worse. The hero of time cannot be relied upon forever, some threats may be beneath his notice, perhaps one day he will be defeated or maybe never appear at all. This man is now sitting on an upturned log, chin on hand and a deep frown of concentration on his brow.

"Damn it"

Was all that was said, it was all that was needed to sum things up. So, in a clearly frustrated manner the figure stands up from his log, one hand behind back, the other still clutching his chin and he stares out across the scene before him. It is an old favourite of his, it is the view across lake Hylia. He is standing atop a sheer cliff, below him the lake, behind him a gentle slope towards Hyrule field. From here he can see the water ripple and shift, reflecting the skies above in a strange, vague way, almost as though an impressionist painter had decided to paint the sky on a shifting canvas. But the beauty was lost on its only observe who was still dwelling on this most taxing issue. Perhaps now would be a good time to take a look at this man and almost at once he seems out of place, he does not look like a local. His body is normal enough, a tad on the tall side but not freakishly so, narrow shoulders and a deceptively light frame. The man is neither tanned nor sun burnt, perhaps sun beaten would be a better phrase to use. Certainly it is a skin used to wear and tear, though no scars show there is a roughness to him, and image not helped by a layer of stubble adorning his chin and a nose that could only be charitably described as statuesque. But what really made him seem out of place was his clothing, most inhabitants of this area wore something a kin to trousers, or at least the men folk did but this man had ground length robes, light but in need of a clean. White by design mud and dust stains had tuned the lower areas into a sort of grey and the edges were frayed. Upon his head was a keffiyeh, the same colour as his robes and just as worn. It was quite loose about his head and wrapped around his neck as well. All in all this was a man who looked as though he should be from the desert, not the plains of Hyrule or the lake side.

Turning his back upon the serene lake he spat off to the side out of frustration and low level anger before reaching down and picking up his sizeable pack, upon which pots and pans were strapped and a bed role fixed tightly to the top. Now he could see across the sea of green out towards Hyrule castle town. The sun was still high in the sky and as such the unusual summer heat beat down with ferocious intensity upon our white clad man, this same man who now began to walk forward with the same energy as a more normal person would posses on a bright, crisp morning rather than the laborious lurch that this heat warranted. Because of this he made good time, heading towards the town with a surprising turn of speed. As he drew closer to the epicentre of the land he passed more and more people by, some toiling the fields but most sat in what little shade they could find, every tree now had at least three tired workers either dozing in the leafy oasis of cool or relishing a restoring glass of much needed milk. Though he drew looks the white clad figure passed each man by in complete silence, heading with utter focus towards his objective. The gates.

Even the guards hear were sitting on the floor, leaning up against the formidable stone defences, all bar one who had his feet dipped in the moat and was splashing them about in an effort to get cool. None protested as the white figure strode into the city, after all what possible threat could he be? He was not even armed. Just another lonely traveller, but unlike most this one had not come to trade or do business, this man was a pilgrim, of sorts. But judging by his surroundings the man was in a minority and by a long way. The hustle and bustle of the town was hardly slowed by the heat, true merchants now sat down behind their stalls but were still flogging their wears with enthusiasm and there was no shortage of shoppers either. Men and women bustled around, hand full with items ranging from simple food to exotic jewellery. Live stock mooed, bleated or whinnied as appropriate and every now and again the voice of the auctioneer projected it self above the crowd.

"I have two hundred, two hundred for this fine bull, two hundred… do I see two fifty, two fifty. Yes you sir thank you. Three hundred then, three hundred?"

The figure spat once more out of frustration and anger, but this time aroused by the crowd. To this on locker these people were little better than the live stock they bartered for, stupid animals, utterly unaware of the bigger picture. But stupid they may be did not make them any less deserving of care and attention, it merely served to frustrate the man a tad.

But he was not here to criticise the people either, rather he was looking for the ruins of the old temple of time, but in order to get there he needed to meet his guide. All the white clad figure knew was that the guide would be told who he was by a middle man and approach him, the white robed man was not to look for the guide. This made him uneasy, the whole thing was very cloak and dagger at the moment, he half expected to be murdered rather than led. But still he had little choice in the matter. Remaining at the centre of the hustle and bustle he stood like a solitary island, not fidgeting or moving, just waiting. It was some long time before anything happened, the sun was beginning to dip and a few stalls had already packed up, others were closing now, merchants tidying away their goods in heavy strongboxes ready for the morrow. It was now that the guide made themselves known. For a highly secretive arrangement the man was hardly the cloaked apparition that would so neatly fit into things. Instead a very plain looking man just walked up to our white robed friend and said plainly in a thick rural accent.

"Sankt? You Sankt? 'Course you are, why else would ye be standing here like a lemon. I'll be your guide and that's all ye know me as understand? You're just doing this as a one off, this is my living and if the guards get onto me I'm done for."

The white robed man, apparently named Sankt just gave a silent nod to all of this, he was a man of few words, or perhaps he too wanted to avoid saying anything unnecessary just in case the other was caught. Either way nothing was said as the guide scuffled along, dragging his feet and mumbling from time to time as a stoic Sankt drifted along behind. Considering what was about to happen was illegal the guide was not sneaking about, indeed at one point he walked up to a guard who was hanging around on a street corner and overtly thrust a small coin purse straight into the man's face. Clearly Sankt was not the first to come here and a system of bribes, winks and nods was already well in place. With the guard now turning a blind eye the guide lifted up a flagstone revealing a small ladder down into the murky depths into which the guide descended, still mumbling to himself and apparently complaining about the rats. Sankt followed and had the good sense to replace the flagstone above him with no instruction to do so, after all what if the bent guard was replaced by an honest one? The guides racket would be exposed in an instant and Sankt likely caught, he could run but unarmed as he was he could not fight with any great effectiveness.

Eventually reaching the bottom of the ladder, a ladder which grew more and more rusty as the descent was made Sankt now found himself in pitch blackness, the smell of mildew and dead flesh wafting up his nostrils and the squeak of a rat somewhere close to his left foot. After a slight wooden thunk suddenly a torch was lit and thrust into Sankt's hand whilst the guide drew out a knife from beneath his clothes. Well at least the daggers part of cloak and daggers had been fulfilled. It was now evident the thunk had been made by the opening of a barrel full of torches left here for just this purpose. Gesturing with his thumb the guide pointed forward and said. "The alter is that way, it is as far as I go, as far as anyone goes. Strong magics protect the chambers beyond. Back the other way is a tunnel running to the arena, we get out there if we run into problems. Yah understand? Oh and don't worry about the knife my dear, I just keeps it in case we met something odd, with these magics you don't know what might happen, nothings happened yet though and I doubt you'll be the first." With these rather poor words of encouragement the guide led down towards what he termed the alter, the dank walls slowly began to widen out and there was a slight tingle to the air, like a soft breeze across bare skin, but there was no wind here. The guide shivered slightly scratching his head and saying. "Oh no… no no. I don't like this, magic's strong today. L..l.l Let's go back eh? Try again tomorrow." Turning to the silent figure of Sankt the guide was met with only a firm expression and a finger pointing onwards, ever onwards. There the duo stood in silence for several seconds before Sankt was forced to speak in a slightly gritty, clearly determined voice.

"It must be done today, go forward."

The guide shook his head and shuffled some more, clearly uncomfortable.

"Look, listen hear mate I know what I'm talking about. We go tomorrow. I'll even refund you half the payments yah made a few weeks back but please can we just go?"

The only answer he received was the same finger and the same expression, unblinking and uncompromising. The guard just shook his head and ran back off towards the ladder calling back over his shoulder.

"Forget it mate, and forget your money to, idiot."

Sankt just snorted and shook his head, slowly lowering his hand and muttering purely to himself.

"Peasant."

With that he now pressed on alone, un guided and un armed, were the magical forces in this ancient place to stir he would be dealt with swiftly, but he was also undeterred. It was not long now until the twisting earth corridor, seemingly racked out of the rock it self suddenly opened up into a simply huge chamber, it looked like a cathedral, it was a cathedral. Now he was present in the main chamber on the ancient temple of time. But grand as it was it was still in dire need of repair, all the stain glass windows had been smashed in and dirt and rubble and poured in through the gaps, ancient faded tapestries littered the floor, the squeak of high flying kesse somewhere up in the invisible vaulted ceiling above. A willing ear could almost hear the chants of ancient monks long dead still bouncing off of the walls, caught in an infinite echo. Of course such things were pure fancy but it all contributed to the spirit of this place, this forgotten sanctuary of all that was once good, and perhaps still is. The looming stone doors were visible even in this light, sealed by both mechanics and magic, guarding one of the many old resting places for the master sword. Sankt knew the sword was of course not there, he also knew it was not his to wield, than honour belonged to Link and Link alone. Sankt was here merely for the alter, the alter in which the three spirit stones had once been placed so many years ago. This was also in a state of disrepair, cracked and broken, it was almost split clean in two. The writing on it's surface illegible and even the symbol on the triforce was all but gone. Gently Sankt extended a single bare hand and caressed the surface wistfully, perhaps even sadly when the world went white.

Sankt awoke, or at least it felt like he was awake, truth be told his actual body was still out cold, his consciousness had merely been removed from his body and was now working an a level far higher than normal. The environment Sankt found himself was one of pitch blackness and utterly empty in all directions, including down. There was nothing beneath him preventing him from plummeting into infinity yet the non existent surface he was lying on seemed stable enough. To describe the world around him any further would be folly, quite simply there was no world. But there were voices, three. None of them identified themselves but any man with a knowledge of the religion and the creation of the world could make an accurate guess. The first voice seemed the most direct, to the point and was quite blunt for the female it so obviously was.

"There is a strength in you, this is good, this is needed."

The second voice was less blunt and direct but not without conviction or energy, indeed it seemed by far the most enthusiastic of the trio.

"You managed to come this far, unarmed, unfamiliar with the path ahead. You made deals with criminal thugs with no regard to your well being and showed distain for the dangers of your actions. This is good, this is needed."

The third and final voice was quiet, slow to speak, softer and gentler, it also seemed older and had by far the longest turn.

"More importantly you saw to come in the first place, you knew to come this day, you knew the hero of time was not a perfect defence. You knew there was a gap that required filling and you knew the best place to come for advice. "This is good, this is needed. I also know that you understand, you are not our chosen, our favoured. That mantle belongs to another. But you do have our blessing. You are right to be cautious about the future. I assure you, you are right in your conviction that action must be taken. Your fault lies in the fact that you wish to persuade others to do it. They lack your qualities in the main. Take the responsibility yourself, bring about your own designs, do not rely on the wisdom of others. If you need any more guidance, then you are not as wise as I had thought you."

That was the end of things, no questions, no debate and certainly no answers. Just another white flashed followed shortly by the sound of Sankt groaning as he dragged himself back to his feet, rubbing his head and looking about him, trying to get his bearing. He was also trying to work out how much time had passed but in this lightless environment that was quite impossible, it had however, been long enough for the torch to burn through half of its length. Picking the guiding light up Sankt began to stagger, somewhat unsteadily, back towards the rusty ladder. He had work to do and perhaps not much time to do it in.


	2. An old friend

Emerging now into the street Sankt was drawing up a list of priorities, chief amongst them was funding

Emerging now into the street Sankt was drawing up a list of priorities, chief amongst them was funding. It really is money the moves the world, or so it would seem and Sankt was all but broke. Fortunately for him there was a near by source of revenue and he had all the tools to come by the money. The corrupt guardsman was still on duty, loitering around the corner turning a blink eye to any number of possible illegal acts. Snuffing out the burning torch Sankt now walked quite casually up behind the guard, not making an effort to muffle his footsteps on the flagstones or to hide in the shadows. A botched attempt at stealth attracted more attention than just walking along. The guard turned to face him briefly before looking back out onto the square saying casually.

"Yah know your little friend came dashing out of here a while ago. Could have sworn something peculiar was going on down…"

But the sentence was never finished as the extinguished torch came down on the back of his head like a cudgel, knocking the man out cold in well firm blow. His armoured form hit the floor with a clank and Sankt was then quick about his business. Glancing around for other guards he hunched down next to the man and removed the coin purse that had been used to bribe the man, he also removed several other coin purses it seemed this particular guard was making a very nice little sideline in permitting the law to be broken rather than enforcing the law. However, it did not matter how the guard came by the money, Sankt needed it and this guard was morally questionable any way. With money firmly in hand Sankt now calmly walked away, trying not to appear suspicious, his clothing made him stand out enough as it was but fortunately now, in the dead of night, the streets were near deserted. Rather than attempt to leave the city as a sensible man may he instead turned to the back streets and followed the sounds of moans and groans. Eventually the smell of blood once more washed up his nostrils but fresh blood this time, hot and still flowing. Sound and smells combined led Sankt to a seemingly normal door, a little worn and thicker than normal perhaps but normal enough. However, this door was enchanted, it would hold firm, unmoving to all unless instructed otherwise by its master. Grumbling slightly as Sankt realised this he muttered in a quiet manner.

"Achim you old dog"

Then he proceeded to bang upon the door with his fist, it was far harder than any knock ever could have been, Sankt left barely a moments pause before pounding upon the door once more only this time it swung noisily aside, opened by some unseen hand. Within lay a large well decorated room, for what seemed to be the house of a peasant from the outside inside the place had the finery and furnishings of a nobleman. Art hung upon the walls whilst book shelves crammed wall to wall with books took up the intervening spaces. A fine rug clearly of Gerudo craftsmanship. Indeed many such items seemed to litter the room, vases and pots, even the chairs seemed to be of that ilk. In short this room was a blend of more regular Hyrule and Gerudo styles, all of very high quality. The first sign that all was not right was that there was a bed tucked away in a far corner, it was clear this man slept on the ground floor. So what was taking up room above, a clue to this was the sound of muffled sawing from above and of course the stench of blood. Removing his heavy pack at last Sankt dropped it casually upon the floor and began to walk upstairs knowing full well what he would see. The spectacle before him was the near polar opposite of the one bellow him, here the floors were bare save where saw dust had been thrown upon them. The walls to were bear and lined with shelves and cupboards of various sizes and styles. Two tables stood in the room, one large on right in the middle and one smaller one with various tools scattered upon it, most bared a resemblance to carpentry tools but when you saw what was on the main table you swiftly realised their purpose. On the main table was a man, lane out on his back and shackled to the table, unconscious he lay there stripped to only a loin cloth and with one very bad looking leg, pussing and oozing this leg was covered with boils up to the knee. The skin was turning dry and black, the foot even crumbling at the toes, the whole visage was one of an unnaturally ill leg. Save that is for the thigh, above where the infection had set in. Here there was a deep cut right into the bone and Achim loomed above it, saw in hand driving back and forth in a bid to remove the leg.

Achim himself was dressed in a dark airy shirt dripping with sweat and perspiration. His trousers, a dark green were similarly damp not from the heat of the day but the heat and nerves of his work. He wore a light brown apron with smatterings of blood all over it, some old some new. Attached to this were various surgical tools though as has already been said they could easily be confused for wood work tools, and butcher's ones as well. The only no surgical blade he had was a very large curved knife, once again clearly of Gerudo manufacture. But on top of all of this was an obvious like between Sankt and Achim, they both wore white keffiyeh upon their heads though Achim's was cleaner save for the odd irremovable blood stain. This man's face was older than Sankt's, am idle aged face but one similarly worn and weathered, unlike Sankt this face was near obsessively clean shaven and had eyes that showed a wisdom well beyond his years. Waving a hand vaguely towards Sankt Achim said in voice a priest may use when addressing his flock.

"Go pick up that cloth my friend and clean up what blood you can, the incision is becoming unclear."

Do describe the great gash as an incision was perhaps too generous but the meaning was clear enough and Sankt obediently started mopping away blood as best he could though of course it just kept coming despite the truncate tied by Achim above the wound. Still Achim kept on sawing away as fast as he could until eventually the leg came free, tossing it up into the air Achim pointed a finger at the limb and suddenly it was no more, merely dust in the wind. Sankt was still clearing up blood as Achim walked off silently only to return with what looked like a bucket and a trowel. Dipping the trowel inside it quickly became evident the bucket was full of steaming tar which Achim was about to spread over the open wound to seal it. The smell of the bubbling black liquid overpowered even the armour of blood that hang heavy in the air and when the tar was applied to the unconscious man burning flesh was added to the ensemble as well as something a kin to the sizzle of sausages. Sankt found himself involuntarily licking his lips at this and reading the gesture Achim simply said

"Don't you nibble on this guy you'll die for sure, and it won't be a pretty one. The infection will pass in time though now I have removed the route of the problem."

Sankt turned and looked harshly at Achim almost snapping at him.

"Did you seriously think I was going to eat him?" Then in a more gentle tone. "It has made me hungry though."

Achim just scoffed and laughed at this for a moment but the body demanded his more immediate attention, to think this place was a normal hospital or surgery was to think incorrectly, this place operated a slightly different set up. The patients always benefited in the long run, this place did operate for the good of society but it did not always do so with the willing consent of the participants. Moving away from the table now Achim lifted up several floor board and turned them upside down one by one before replacing them to reveal what looked like a series of glowing runes in a circular pattern. Picking up the unconscious form Achim held it not gingerly but roughly, like a corpse that deserved no respect and just tossed it into the runes where the body promptly disappeared into thin air. Achim paced back to the floor boards and began turning them back up the right way saying dismissively.

"Oh don't worry about him, he will wake up in the town square wondering where his leg went all of a sudden. But at least this way he won't infect the town."

Achim straightened and put a hand to his back before walking over to Sankt and taking away the cleaning rag and tossing it casually on the table and heading down stairs beckoning Sankt to follow. The duo eventually emerged back in the well decorated room where Achim walked over to a small door half concealed by a wall hanging and opened it up, within lay a tiny kitchen of sorts as well as a tiny window with a string hanging down in front of it. Tugging the string firmly Achim stuck his hands out of the window as a water but was yanked out of position and a torrent of water washed away the worst of the blood. Achim then turned his attention to the stove and began to stoke it whilst calling out to Sankt.

"I am assuming this is not a social call, you were never one to make those. So what is all this about?"

The rattle and clank of pots and pans could be heard now as Achim selected a frying pan and placed it upon the still heating stove into which Achim now tossed some fresh coal. Sankt meanwhile took time to think about his answer before saying carefully.

"The world is in a state of constant peril, whether the people know it or not and the hero of time is not perfect, he is only one man after all. I have resolved to solve this problem. You are a man of learning, wisdom and foresight. Your magical and medical knowledge will prove invaluable, as will your historical insights I am sure."

There was another rustle followed by and odd cracking sound before Achim called back.

"But surely such a force already exists, the guard. Why not just join them and become a knight?"

These words provoked little more than a scoff from Sankt at first along with a shake of the head but eventually he said in a tone which was a mixture of bitter and a sense of tedious inevitable disappointment.

"Because they are a bunch of ill disciplined troops, poorly trained, corruptible and not capable of seeing the bigger picture. Not seeing the damage a little good can do, besides whenever a real problem rears its ugly head they all run to link, refuse to take action themselves. My designs would only be stifled. I wish to create a new group, one that will last for millennia and one that is devoid off all of these flaws and failings"

Achim now emerged with two plates, each containing a rather delicious looking ham omelette, passing one to his guest Achim enquired.

"So where do I fit into all of this then? You want me it seems for this organisation of yours but what would I do? Also why should I come? I am busy enough here trying to keep illness away from this city, an increasingly difficult task might I add."

Sankt began to eat his omelette with visible delight, he really was hungry and eager to be fed. Achim however, ate at a more leisurely pace. Not saying anything until his entire meal was done Sankt eventually replied

"If I could answer those questions now I would be a soothsayer and have no need for you. All I can say is that I know your skills will play a part especially if artefacts should come into play in some way. As for your work here that can continue for now, I do not yet have immediate need for your services in all their glory and perhaps in our activities we can find a way to beat off this problem more permanently. That remains to be seen I cannot say now exactly what our role will be, merely that when the hero of time proves lacking or even absent we will be there to fill the gap."

Sankt now leant back as Achim chewed over both his thoughts and his food. At last gesturing towards Sankt he nodded and said.

"All right, but only because of our past, you are not a man who is in the habit of making mistakes plus I owe you. Now I am a poor man now. I can't help you with funding. I can equip my self but that is about it as well as lend you my mind. But I do have influence. Look here is the name of a guy you should see, tell him this will clear his debts and he will give you anything you ask for, I mean anything."

Achim scribbled down something on a piece of paper with a stub of charcoal he produced from his bloody apron then handed it to Sankt. Sankt in turn was shocked at the identity of this man. His eyes widened as Achim chuckled to himself. Eventually Sankt ventured.

"This is the ruler of Lanayru Province, well that's the royals but this is thier governor. How come he owes you old friend."

Achim simply tapped his nose and shook his head saying knowingly.

"Now now, that would be telling. But this old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Rest assured though, my name will get you anything from this guy. Now be on your way old friend. This city still has illness and I must tend to it. The sun will soon rise and I am sure the governor will be eager to see you." Achim gestured to the door and obediently Sankt stood and began to leave but when he reached the magical thresh hold he turned to Achim and said. "May the sun forever be behind you and your water never run dry."

"May the heat never touch you and you feet never tire."

This said Achim and Sankt smiled at one another briefly before Sankt left the house stepped in blood and finery and headed out into the dawn, picking up his pack as he went. Shadows dancing around him like entertainers and the first cock crow echoed over the town. Street cleaners were finishing their work now and the city was slowly awakening to breakfast and another day of trade and commerce. All accept the governor that was who was waking up to what was about to be a very bad day, for him at least.


	3. Tools of the trade

Sankt was a little unsure of his ground here, he was about to effectively blackmail the governor of this province and he knew

Sankt was a little unsure of his ground here, he was about to effectively blackmail the governor of this province and he knew not what he was blackmailing him with. It could perhaps be said to be like entering into a fight without knowing of your sword had been sharpened or not. All Sankt was sure of was Achim, the old hound had never let him down yet. Arriving now at the impressive double doors he would have knocked on them but instead a pair of guards barred his passage, hardly surprising considering who dwelt within. Since it was only the early morning and the sun was still struggling to poke above the roof tops of the town and thus the sweltering heat of the recent past had not yet set in, but still one of the two guards was sitting lazily in the shade, head back against the wall and eyes closed. The other however, was upright, up standing and uptight. Eyeing Sankt with a combination of distain and suspicion the man said.

"You are up awfully early, what business do you have here?"

Sankt could have explained but he thought better of it, the black mail would likely only work against the governor personally, not his guards and so Sankt said, not deeming to look the guard in the eye.

"My business is my own, merely inform the governor that Achim has business with him that requires his immediate attention."

The guard shook his head and sighed saying.

"His grace will not wish to be disturbed at breakfast."

To which Sankt merely replied harshly, Achim will most displeased with the governor and then he will be most displeased with you."

The guard was overcome with indecision, should he abandon his post, leaving only the snoozing soldier or should he stay here and risk the wrath of his employer. Eventually the guard shifted towards the door slowly before opening it, soon after the sound of running feet could be heard and not long after that the sound of far of shouts, not shouts of anger but of panic and worry. Soon the door flew open and the same guard was ushering Sankt forward, no longer looking distaining but instead confused and unnerved, what had Achim done? Perhaps it was something to do with his macabre treatment of the city, or perhaps he had some sort of dirt on this family. No matter what the reason it was certainly effective. Sankt quickly found himself being whisked away down corridors even more impressively decorated that Achim's own lower floor, but not as many books Sankt could not help but notice, either the governor was not particularly mentally agile or Achim was just freakishly clever, Sankt suspected the latter to be true.

Eventually he reached a room which was decorated in the same manner as the rest of the house, only now there was a large mahogany table in the middle of the room, breakfast things scattered all over it and interestingly two small children were being whisked out of the room by what could only be assumed to be their mother. So Achim made the governor fear for his families safety then? Interesting. The governor gestured for Sankt to take a seat but raising a slow hand Sankt said firmly.

"No, I prefer to stand. I would also prefer to waste as little time as possible here."

The governor was bent over in a permanent half bow, dipping his head every now and again and taking shuffling steps backward, not so much towards the door as away from Sankt. Although this gave our white clad hero a moment of satisfaction this was quickly replaced by annoyance and the words.

"Oh stop bowing like that, stand up straight man! Chest out stomach in shoulders back! That's better. Now Achim is willing to release you from your debt provided you give me everything I ask for in this session. You may want to write some of this down."

Obediently the governor scuttled off to a near by desk and returned with parchment, ink and quill stammering the words.

"R..r.realy? I will be free from my debt? Achim will release me if I give you what you want?"

Sankt sighed and shook his head, what was the world coming to when the ruller of an entire province could be reduced to a mumbling wreck by a single eccentric magician and doctor? No matter what the answer to this question it was playing to his advantage, for now.

"Yes, yes you will be free. But the price is going to be steep I warn you."

The governor just gave a slight nod and readied his quill, about to spring into action at any moment, clearly the potential cost mattered little to him. Sankt briefly flirted with the notion of taking the shirt off of this wretches back but Sankt may be harsh but he was fair and he was not going to take anything he did not need. Unfortunately he needed much.

"Okay, listen up. First off I need land, decent patch near a water source, large enough for a few farms and a something equivalent to the size of a mansion." Sankt was not planning to build a mansion, he was not greedy like that and would not over indulge in personal luxuries, but he was going to need the land. The governor lent over and made a note of this before going to a desk and drawing out a detailed map of his province. Lokking near lake Hylia he circled the land north of the bridge and said.

"Is that enough?"

Sankt chuckled and let a small smile drift across his face before giving a slight nod saying.

"It is enough land yes, but it is not the end of our meeting, secondly I need stone, enough to build a village, I will also require other building materials and the appropriate workers for the first phase of construction."

The governor waved a hand saying hastily.

"Yours."

So far the governor thought he was getting of lightly, all he had to give up was some time, materials and worthless land. To Sankt however, these things were incredibly valuable. The white robed man continued.

"I require an ennoblement to solidify my legal hold and grant me status. I also require personal outfitting"

It was now that the governor was forced to shake his head and venture hesitantly.

"The kit, I can give you but ennoblement is beyond me, I work for the royals I am not one my self. You must impress them, not easy to do. But the kit I can do, do you wish a nobles robes to go with your new lands? Despite the fact you are no noble."

Sankt waved a dismissive hand and shook his head.

"These white robes are enough to wear casually. From you I need arms and armour, the highest quality. I assume you have a store of some description, an armoury from which I can take my pick."

The governor shifted for a moment, the armoury had some pretty standard kit but also some very valuable items both financially and sentimentally. But after a while the governor decided to risk it, getting Achim off of his back was worth perhaps loosing one or two items. Slowly the governor rose to his feet saying.

"Follow me."

The governor led Sankt out of the room and down through a series of decreasing elaborate corridors until all decoration was gone and it was just bare stone and timber. An unimportant door at the end of this corridor guarded an important trove of treasures, not of rupees or ornaments but weapons and armour, fine weapons at that.

Sankt already had an image of his preferred fighting style and what was needed for it to become a reality. He was a naturally agile man and had been exposed to the combat styles of the Gerudo in the past but truth be told he preferred a more brutal and straightforward style of doing things but like all men he like to think there was something about his combat style that made him stand out. But currently he had no idea what that thing would be. One thing he was sure he was going to need however, was a shield. Looking around he located something that on the face of it would do the job, a mid period kite shield, good for both mounted and dismounted combat providing solid neck to knee cover if used correctly. But as he looked deeper he discovered that although the bulk of the shield was indeed wooden the outer layer pointing away from the wielder was a thin layer of reinforcing steel, making the device far tougher than its more pedestrian counterparts whilst keeping it light. Reaching into his pack Sankt drew out a layer of whit grubby fabric, clearly meant for clothes repair but instead now covered the front of his shield in the plain white design so as to match the rest of his clothing. He now placed this chosen shield off to the side to allow him to look for more items and weapons. Of course he needed a sword or some sort of weapon but that would come in time, what next caught his attention was a suit of double linked mail, it looked both old and new at the same time, clearly it was well maintained but perhaps something more was going on. Perhaps, it certainly made the governor twitch as Sankt drew closer towards it. Picking the mail up in his hand he sensed something, something. That was the only way to describe it. This was a keeper. Swiftly he placed it by the shield, but mail needed an under layer of leather padding, this was normal enough and easily found close to the mail. Unlike the mail there was nothing odd about this leather under suit and so rather than examine it closely he just placed it by the mail. Sankt however, was still not happy. Extra protection cold be afforded and he still lacked any weapons. Continuing to look around he spied a solid steel helmet, one that totally encased his head were it to be worn with only small eye slits through which to look and a small number of breathing holes. Undecorated and unadorned as it was Sankt would resolve that personally, for now he just needed the protection. Looking around he tried to see if there was any plate but alls none that was not rusted through. He would have to do without for now.

Still he lacked weapons, a sword was vital, few other weapons cold be effectively wielded in conjunction with a shield. Moving now towards the back of the armoury his eye fell upon a fine piece of craftsmanship. It was not a swift blade such as was the style in these modern times. Rather it was an old broad blade, a hand and a half sword if he was not much mistaken. These things had fallen out of favour some time ago, many felt them to cumbersome to be wielded with one hand and two slight to have all the benefits of a two hander and so the long sword and great swords became common. However, Sankt was tough enough and strong enough to wield it effectively in one hand, even if he was not he would have taken it any way. Years in this dusty place and it had still kept its edge, clearly a keen blade made by a man who knew his work. The blade possessed no identifying marks, no special decoration, merely a good leather grip and oddly enough a long strap, presumably to act as a fastening for the weapon. Picking it up by the strap Sankt then fumbled and dropped the sword, it clattered along the ground and came to a noisy rest several meters away. However, a sharper tug on the strap brought it back to his feet. It was now that a thought began to crawl its way into Sankt's skull. Here was an interesting and surprising technique he could use, but he needed to test it first. Gripping the sword firmly by the grip he chucked it forward toward the door, as expected the weapon hit and dug in but Sankt still held one end of the strap and tugging it back he flicked the weapon back into his hand in a single deft motion. More ideas began to come to him now, looking at a supporting column for the roof above them Sankt hurled the blade to one side and gave a tug just as the hilt passed the support, but rather than a tug back it was a tug to the left, this cause the blade to curl around the post and hit a near by training dummy causing a small hail of straw. A firm tug back returned the weapon to his hand from where he could wield the weapon in a more traditional manner. This was going to be fun.

Not only was it going to be enjoyable but for now it would be all the equipment he would require. Sword in hand he walked back to the equipment pile he had been building up and removed his back pack and oddly enough his white robes also, exposing a simple hair shirt bellow, the sort of shirt that was most commonly infested with lice and other microscopic bugs. On top of the shirt he placed the leather under layer, then atop of that the chain shirt which was hooded. On top of this he placed his white robes and tied his sword to his left side off of a belt, leaving a lot of slack in the attaching leather strap. To his back he strapped the plain white shield, call him a Link impersonator all you like where else was he going to put it? Then he lowered his helmet over his head, obscuring his features entirely and the helmet to was about to be obscured in it self as the Keffiyeh was loosely wrapped around it save for a tight knot around the rim of the helmet to keep the headdress in place. His breathing was now more metallic and perhaps even raspy beneath the helmet but at least he was now equipped and protected. Walking over to his pack he drew out several small pouches and watter bottle and attached these to his belt, he no longer needed the camping equipment inside the pack and so picking it up by a shoulder strap he tossed it towards the governor saying.

"Here, a little present. Enjoy."

The governor caught the pack awkwardly and staggered as it more or less hit him in the face, laughing Sankt began to walk off out of the armoury and away from the governor who muffled as he was by a pack managed to say.

"So.. so I am free at last? Free from my debt."

Sankt just laughed again and nodded his head in reply before walking away to consult with Achim about developments and what to do next. Things were moving along nicely, but the hard parts were yet to come, two men would not be enough to fulfil the function that Sankt had in mind. They needed more men, but now they also had to see to their newly acquired lands.

Emerging now onto the by now bustling streets Sankt was drawing as many looks as before, but not the looks of curiosity and possible distain at his outlandish attire. Now he was drawing looks ranging from envy to concern. Dressed in white he may be he was still in full armour, parts showed, especially the face of the helmet. Not only was he now looking obviously outlandish but he was also appearing unnerving and perhaps intimidating. Crossing the square a commotion began to break out at the far end, the whinny of horses could be heard as well as the stern voices of authority from the guards. But these were no normal guards, these were better equipped and seemed more orderly. Wondering what was going on Sankt scrambled towards the near by fountain and stood on he ledge so as that his head was above that of the crowds. From where he was standing he could now see clearly a well appointed young woman proceeding quite calmly through the crowd with no real interest in them. She showed neither liking or dislike from her horseback mount. Guards on foot were keeping the crowd from her even though they showed no real hostile intentions. As the figure came closer it became more clear the woman was not disinterested but rather had something playing upon her mind, it also became clear that this was none other than Princes Zelda herself. Sankt watcher her pass by and wondered just what was going through her mind when suddenly she looked over at him, not in his general direction but clearly at Sankt himself. Whether it was because his head stood out, because she felt his eyes on her or perhaps some other reason was unclear. But what was for certain was the fact that the look lasted for several seconds before she at last returned her attention to the direction she was going in and eventually disappeared from sight leaving a mildly excited crowd in her wake that inevitably returned to trading with renewed vigour despite the ferociously hot sun.

Dismissing the glance as pure coincidence Sankt jumped down from the fountain as lightly as an armoured man could before elbowing his way through the crowd and heading into the back alleys where even through the helmet the stench of blood suddenly became evident to his nostrils. Following the smell as before he eventually arrived at Achim's house and banged both noisily and impatiently on the door yelling up. "Come on open up you old hound. I have news!"


	4. the strentgh of an ox

Sankt stood in his new armour and gear in front of Achim who had also acquired new equipment, appearances were of course decep

Sankt stood in his new armour and gear in front of Achim who had also acquired new equipment, appearances were of course deceptive Achim had possessed this gear all along he had just taken it out of a draw. He still wore his bloody apron and tolls and contraptions of all manner hung off of a large belt, just as before. However, how he was wearing a rough leather all in one suit underneath the apron and rather than wear a chain shirt on top he simply had pieces of mail sewn into certain vital areas, this did not afford such great protection but Achim did not intend to rely on close quarters fighting. Around his head he still wore the lose white head dress but now in addition to his tools of the trade and the exotic knife was a large scimitar tucked inside a worn leather sheath. The two were ready to set out on their trek to their new land where construction was about to begin. It had been two days now since Zelda had passed through the city, she had yet to return. But this was of little interest to our duo at the moment. During these two days Achim had tied up all of his loose ends in this place and set up a system designed to warn him if their were an sort of infectious outbreak that he had to deal with. Giving a yawn Achim opened the door to the street from his house and took a step outside, the sun was just beginning to rise the pair wanted to make as much progress as possible before the heat set in. Although the heat was little to them old habits died hard. Sankt followed suit and stepped into the grubby cobbled back alley, the door slamming shut behind him seemingly of its own accord. The pair stood about for a moment before Sankt lightly knocked Achim around the back of the head and said in a friendly enough tone.

"Come on, time's a wasting"

And so the duo set off, considering the early hour the streets were close to empty just as before but Achim, with his bloody apron and suspicious looking tools was drawing the odd look from the few passers by and absolutely every single guard patrolling his beat. The only reason they did not stop to question the eccentric man was because they told themselves that no one would be so blatant to walk around in the very clothes they preformed illegal surgery in. Surely it must be a butcher or something similar. Thus Achim and Sankt passed through the waking city with ease and out onto the great plain where they headed south towards their lands where the construction crews must have already begun their work.

The pair knew each other well and were utterly comfortable in one another's presence. Thus they did not feel the need to fill the silence, to chat about nothing. Besides they had had long silent walks before, most usually in the desert where talking took up valuable energy. Besides what was their to talk about. Nothing interesting was going on. Or so it seemed right up until the point where they crested a shallow hill and saw their land littered with construction workers doing nothing. They were doing nothing because a group of armed men had stopped them, from this distance it was impossible to tell any more than the fact they were armed. Achim and Sankt just turned to look at one another for a moment, Sankt's expression invisible but his voice conveyed the same feeling as was evident on Achim's face. A look of surprise and sheer dumfounded disbelief as both said simultaneously.

"What the hell."

Both now broke into a run and tore down the green fields towards their patch of land, neither had drawn their weapons but both were incredibly angry and that much was evident in every fibber of their beings. Sankt was the first to reach the men though only by a second or two and he yelled at the top of his voice.

"Oi! What on earth do you clowns think you're doing? This is my land, my workers now get on your way!"

Achim was quick up behind Sankt but remained silent, he merely stared daggers at the nearest of the suspiciously badgeless men in a combined threat and general sign of anger. The beefy broad shouldered man Sankt had just been yelling at smiled at the white clad warrior, to call him a knight would be conferring a title upon Sankt he simply did not have.

"Your land? Oh no mate, this here belongs to the governor and he has no desire to give it up. Now that Achim has revealed himself we are to deal with him, and you his little lap dog. So why don't you make it easy on your selves and just kneel whilst we cut your heads off."

Achim smirked and shook his head, quick as a flash he had his hand upon his scimitar blade and was starting to draw the vicious weapon. But unfortunately the thug already had his weapon drawn, a large halberd and whilst Achim was drawing the thug was swinging, there was no way Achim could produce his weapon in time. Sankt however, was making no attempt to draw his blade as of yet. Instead he just dove forward, well bellow the swing of his opponents fearsome weapon and tackled the thug by the waist, forcing him to the ground. Now ontop of his stricken foe Sankt ferociously head butted the man with the lip of the helmet to cause the most pain and disorientation possible. This done he swiftly reached for his sword whilst still lying prone onto of his opponent and used what would have normally been considered a steep upward draw to slice his opponents throat on the ground. His already grubby white robes now became smeared in blood, splattering on him in a diagonal line across his chest.

Achim meanwhile was able to draw his sword before any more opponents could close and half step over his comrade in a fashion to dissimilar to a rugby ruck, only now with a very lethal edge to things. What happened next though was something that took even these hired bandits by surprise. Two charged in on Achim, both from the front in opposite diagonals. Flinging up his left hand Achim seemed to hold up an ineffective palm towards one opponent. An opponent who promptly flew backwards and off of a cliff, falling towards oblivion with only a fading scream to suggest his fate. Achim's right hand, still clutching scimitar deflected the thrust of charging bandit but did so only by a few inches so not to break the momentum of his enemies movement. This meant his opponent scoted past him and as the brute did so Achim raised his scimitar up and then down very sharply upon his opponents neck, removing the head in one clean blow. The corpse kept on running for about five meters before falling flat on what would have been its face. That however, was now lying facing the sky in its own little pool of blood and looking very surprised.

Those bandits still remaining had all gotten into gear by now and were staying a safe distance, waiting for either Achim or Sankt to attack. Surprisingly it was neither of these two who made the next move but instead one of the workers, a particularly large one who was built like the houses he was supposed to be constructing. This mountain of a man was close to Achim and a Sankt who was rising to his feet and removing his shield, fully combat ready. This construction worker however just picked up the large halberd that had belonged to the bandit Sankt had slit the throat of and charged forward with a yell that sounded like a mad man charging the gates of hell. He was currently holding the halberd like an axe but in a much lower guard than normal, the reason for which would shortly become evident. The bandit he was charging was equipped with a shield and hand axe and had raised his shield into a high position ready for the blow to the head so common of mad charges from inexperience fighters. But the bandit was in for a nasty shock as the worker swung the halberd down very low and chopped the feet off of his opponent. Falling to the ground the bandit hardly had time to scream as the worker drew back the weapon now like a spear and thrust it into the exposed heart of his enemy who was lying on the ground, arms out desperately trying to understand what had happened in the short few moments before his swift demise.

However, this enthusiastic and surprisingly skilled display from the courageous worker had left him exposed to attacks from the side or rear and this was precisely what was happening. One bandit dressed in a brown leather jerkin and wielding a single broadsword was closing fast on the left of the halberd wielding labourer. There was no way a guard could be raised in time, now could either Achim or Sankt reach the poor beggar in time and so Sankt decided to test his little trick for the first time in a combat situation. Keeping a hold of one end of the strap Achim hurled the sword forward in a straight and true line, the bandit, not expecting anyone to be stupid enough to throw their sword was caught totally off guard. The blade plummeted into the man's neck like a hot knife through butter before being swiftly whipped back by a quick tug into Sankt's hand. The sixth and final bandit stopped dead in his tracks, totally shocked by what he had just seen, nothing like that had ever been done in the history of warfare, or at least not to his knowledge. He stood, frozen staring at the body of his comrade slowly falling to his knee, blood gushing from a neck where the head had not quite been severed. So startled was he that he failed to register the axe blade of the halberd coming at him with the force of a tonne of bricks. The halberd did not so much dig or cut into the rib cage as smash it, the sheer brute force of this sheer brute ripped the body in two but not with a clean cut, the gap was horrid, ragged and uneven, bits of splintered bone hung out and entrails lay upon the floor. The other bandits lay in pools of blood, this one lay in his own private sea and unlike the others his death was not a quick one, he lingered for at least ten seconds of mind numbing agony, to overcome by shock to scream, just to stutter and gasp for breath as if there was any point in struggling for life when in a state like that.

The massive axe wielding construction worker turned around now with a large smile on his face, the same smile a child makes after having been told they were a very good boy and that their picture was going up on the wall. A smile rarely seen after bloodshed. Enthusiastic smiles, excited ones, relieved or even sadistic ones would perhaps have been less confusing and certainly more normal but this was thoroughly out of the ordinary. The huge man had short brown hair and a face that was covered in pock marks like a miniature version of the moon. He was wearing the same rough clothes all the other labourers were which started ringing alarm bells in Sankt's mind. The vast figure stood at least seven feet and a casual glance suggested someone who was a tad on the fat side but closer inspection would reveal that what appeared to be aft was in fact muscle, this lumbering behemoth had muscle where none should have existed. He walked with a slow lumbering gate towards Achim and Sankt chuckling a tad with a sound like a volcano rumbling. The stereotypical image would now be for this person to speak like a true moron and skip out conjunctives and although this man mountain may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed he was not as dim as first appearances would lead the casual observe to be believe.

"Oh that was fun. Pity there were so few of them, we could have had a proper head stomping."

Okay, so he was capable of forming sentences but he still had the boyish like for violence in its most extreme form. Now the fighting was over the figure had taken to leaning on the halberd as though it were a cane, were this giant normal sized it should have reached his head. Sankt could envisage a time when this lumbering humberhulk would be wielding one in each hand. Both Sankt and Achim were thinking the same thing about this bloke. He could be useful, very useful. Certainly he was wasted as a construction worker. This man looked as though he could replace siege equipment. Achim was the first to speak however. When he did so he used his more formal, almost religious tones, clearly the more friendly approach was reserved for Sankt.

"You fight with great fortitude my friend, and yet you are a builder. Your talents are wasted, why not join us? A man of your attributes is sorely needed."

The giant seemed to ponder this over for a while and ventured after much consideration.

"All right, but there is a price, you must free all my friends here."

Both Sankt and Achim were momentarily confused but the odd words combined with the alarms bells rung by the uniform clothing meant Sankt made the mental leap first.

"You're a slave aren't you? You and your companions belong to the governor, your just here to make the trap seem convincing. Well I have never been one to tolerate slavery and I'll be damned if my home is going to be built by it. By strength of arms I free you all. I still ask you build the farms and when that is done I will give you the final construction job. Until then I will find a way to pay you and I guarantee you all a place working the farms if you wish it once your work is done. What say you?"

The slaves barely even had to confer there was an instant flurry of nods and general noises of agreement shortly after which work resumed and the noise of saws, chiselling and the grunts of hard labour filled the air. The man mountain however, had already turned to looting the corpses, not for rupees or precious items but for what armour the man could lump together. Ripping apart chain shits at their leather ties he draped one over each shoulder and tied them together of his chest, another one went around his midriff and one hung loosely around each leg. The man looked like a walking joke but at least he was partially protected. Clearly though this person desperately needed custom made gear.

Once the lumbering lump of muscle masquerading as a man was done making a patchwork arrangement of chain mail to adorn his frankly epic frame he finally introduced himself. Reaching out with a plate of meat the man like to call his hand he said to one and all.

"So then, I'm Ruld, Ruld the ox some call me."

Sankt was the one brave enough to take the hand and he watched as it disappeared into Ruld's fist and Sankt wondered if he was ever going to get his hand back, but regardless Sankt said.

"I am Sankt, the one who looks like the mad butcher is Achim."

Then leaning up to whisper in Ruld's ear or as close as he could get he said in a tone almost to quiet to hear.

"Never tell him you're feeling ill."

Achim gave Sankt a harsh look, clearly he had heard the little comment but it was not an evil or menacing glance, more a friendly shot of annoyance. But this look slowly faded into one of slight confusion, curiosity and concern as he pointed a slow finger up towards the bridge saying.

"Sankt, is it just me or is that forty heavily armed cavalry coming over the bridge towards us?"


	5. High Society

Sankt readied himself for a fight, positioning himself a few meters along the bridge he prepared to stand his ground, Achim me

Sankt readied himself for a fight, positioning himself a few meters along the bridge he prepared to stand his ground, Achim meanwhile clambered up a small embankment over looking the bridge and Ruld, well he just stood there ready to fill any gaps that may open up. The workers had all reached the same conclusion as the Sankt and his team and were thus taking cover behind semi constructed walls and inside foundation trenches. But as it turned out both Sankt's men and the workers had reached the wrong conclusion, these cavalry were not here to wage war or to overwhelm Sankt and Achim on behalf of the governor. No it became clear that these riders were in fact well equipped royal guard and somewhere in the middle of the group the head of princes Zelda could be made out, tiny glimpses of hair occasionally surfacing. Realising his mistake Sankt turned his back on the advancing column and walked off of the bridge, waving the all clear to Achim and Ruld as well who now both drew to his side just a little way off from the bridge. The workers meanwhile had gone from terrified to slightly awed as they stood up and came out of their holes occasionally trying to catch a glimpse of their leader. Sankt was more than willing to let the group pass by uninterrupted but that was not going to happen, the littered dead and fresh blood upon Sank't made the guards stop and look around suspiciously. One turned to Sankt and demanded in his best authority riddled voice.

"You there! Explain yourself!"

Sankt took a single step forward towards the mounted guard and stared up at him through his helmet.

"Watch your tongue. If you must know I came here to oversee a building project I had commissioned on my new lands and these gentlemen had other plans" He said gesturing to the various corpses that still lay fresh on the ground, not even cold."

The guard was less than pleased at being told to watch his tongue, Sankt may have been dressed like a knight but he held no badge or coat of arms showing he was clearly classless and thus bellow a royal guard. Leaning down slightly the guard raised a fist to strike Sankt to teach him a lesson in humility and whilst saying

"How dare you."

Began to plummet his fist downwards towards Sankt who simply raised one hand quickly and clamped it around the riders wrist then stepping to the side and tugging firmly he tore the guards straight off of his horse and threw him face down upon the ground. The other horsemen at the front of the guard began to move forward but a raised white handed glove stopped them short. The prone and humiliated guard however did not realise this and scrabbling to his feet charged at Sankt only to receive a boot in the face before he was properly upright, falling to the ground again only now with a bloody face the guard gave a gasp and spat blood upon the floor from where a tooth had been ripped out. However, the guard was still resolute in his desire to teach Sankt and even greater lesson. This time Sankt let the man stand up and come at his again, fist raised high and murder in his eyes the guard bore down upon Sankt once more only to one again have his wrist grabbed quite casually by Sankt before the blow could be landed when then twisted the guards hand around behind his back before tossing the man forward. He tossed the man forward right off a cliff, the guardsman gave a gasp as he clawed desperately at rock and was about to loose his final shred of grip when Sankt once again ceased his wrist, but now in a bid to help the guard rather than hurt him. Achim meanwhile folded his arms and laughed heartily at the display thus far giving the advice.

"Go on, drop him. The wretch deserves no less and well… perhaps it will teach the others a lesson to."

Achim's tone was an odd one it was not clear whether he was joking or being serious, clearly however, Ruld assumed the worst and stepped forward with the protest. He may have liked violence but it was clear he had some moral fibber.

"You can't kill someone for hitting you. Beat them up yes, break their bones and their face. That much is fine but kill them?"

Achim laughed at their newest colleague and shook his head saying with a knowledgeable smile.

"Relax, you will see much worse in time. Besides, people often say you must commit a small evil for a greater good. But also bear in mind the greater evil a little good can create."

Ruld looked momentarily confused at this before shaking his head and grumbling like a far away earthquake. The guard meanwhile was looking cared and pleading at the same time, scared of his imminent destruction and pleading for that fate to be averted. No words were needed, no begging required. Sankt just pulled up firmly and threw the guard over his shoulder and to safety, though not a pleasant safety as the man hit the ground hard, once again on his face. Achim snorted and shook his head saying.

"You've gone soft."

But it was said with a smile, perhaps indicating a lack of criticism and that Achim had just been playing all along. No matter what the answer to this though, the guard still stood up and scrambled quickly to his horse which he mounted more in a bid to get away from Sankt who was getting a lot of harsh looks from the guards, understandably.

But now there was a movement from within the group as Zelda herself emerged upon a white horse and looked down at Sankt in particular, she took a moment to remember him before saying.

"I saw you before when I set out and now you are here when I return. Hum your clothes are interesting. But you said these men had attacked you. Why they must have had a reason?"

Sankt turned around to glance at Achim, after all it was for more his friends problem than his own. But after receiving a slight nod from Achim Sankt went on to explain the situation, leaving out the part about Achim blackmailing the governor of course.

"Well your majesty. I was recently deeded this land by your governor but it seems he wishes to cheat me out of it. These thugs were sent here to kill us and these workers were here to bait the trap. Workers however, is a misleading term. They are slaves your majesty. Or rather were until I just freed them. They are working for me under fair terms"

Zelda turned to look now at the labourers with a more sympathetic eye and then at Sankt as well with a more approving one, rather than a confused and slightly suspicious one.

"You seem to do well by the people and so I shall do right by you. Take the lands that you deserve and now you have exposed the governor's illegal possession of slaves I shall see to it that he is punished."

Achim stepped forward at this point and took a short bow saying.

"Your majesty, I am doctor Achim and I humbly ask that we be allowed to deal with the governor. He has offended us personally not just the people and greater justice. I ask we be allowed to dispense the justice of this land in your name."

Zelda seemed to consider this for a brief moment before shaking her head and saying quietly.

"No doctor, you would kill him and his punishment is imprisonment, he has not committed the highest treason he therefore does not deserve death. Now I must leave you now, I have business to attended to."

With that her column rode off, most of the guards glancing daggers at Sankt all bar one at the very back who was no guard at all, instead the somewhat disapproving eyes of Ashei looked down upon the group but especially at Achim, she snorted and then turned her attention forward. As soon as the group were out of earshot Achim span on his heal and walked up to Sankt, placing a hand upon the man's shoulder and leaning in saying in a hissing whisper and with unusually intense eyes.

"Damn it we're screwed. The governor has to die, if he is going to be arrested any way he may as well spill the beans, he does not know everything about me but he knows enough to do damage. If they hear what he has to say we can kiss our new gains good bye and I'll be locked up. We have to get to the governor before Zelda does and without her knowing!"

Sankt could of course have asked what was so bad that it could never get out, he could have argued or asked questions as to why Ashei clearly had some form of distain for Achim in particular but instead he trusted in his friend and therefore fell in with the need for action, and quick action. In Sankt's eyes they had one major advantage and that was Achim himself, combined of course with the govenor's connections. He would doubtless hear of his failing and more than likely hear of Zelda's approach and thus go into hiding. Achim's own connections would allow them to find the governor far sooner than Zelda. Sankt said as much.

"Look the governor is going to go into hiding, that much is obvious, with your… connections, influence shall we say we can find him and then we can kill him, make it look like suicide. A note about not wanting to face charges, all that kind of stuff."

Achim nodded his agreement, it was perhaps not the best plan in the world but it was all they had and the group simply had to try rather than surrender to their fate. Were things to go wrong, of course they could well end up behind bars but they had little choice. Sankt and Achim were both up for this deception but they doubted Ruld would be, plus construction still needed to be supervised and so Achim hit upon an idea.

"Say Ruld, why don't you stay here with your friends and help them continue construction, after all you have more building experience than either of us. But we need to get your wages. So Sankt and I will just go and head off to get them okay?"

Ruld was not dim but he was still not a genius and as such he did not see though Achim's deception, something that would have been obvious to one who knew the man better as he was not speaking in his usual way. Ruld therefore took it at face value and with a slight shrug of the shoulders said.

"All right then, I will make sure phase one is completed before you come back but no more until them men get paid."

Achim and Sankt both just nodded fervently eager to get away before walking out of sight over the crest of the hill where upon they broke into a run, dashing as quick as they could towards the town, the dust trail of Zelda's horse column still visible in the distance.

Achim's mind was still going over the problems of actually finding the governor when his attention was turned away from this by a question from Sankt.

"Since all we are doing is running mind telling me why Ashei seems to have something against you?"

This provoked a slight grimace from Achim as the duo darted across the land scape. There was a few seconds silence as Achim decided how to put his reply which eventually emerged as.

"During the troubles with Zant and Ganondorf I was asked to join up in their little group. I turned the offer down and do you know why?"

Sankt shook his head, to be frank he was surprised, Achim was never the sort of person to ignore such a large threat and certainly not one to cower. The refusal was somewhat out of character. Achim just smirked and said.

"I though not, and it would be little surprise if you were confused. Surely I would do something. I did, I was. During the whole fiasco I was working my arse off. I was making alternative sources of food in case the crops failed. I was working on a long distance blind teleport to evacuate civilians, that never quite worked though but it did create a hell of a mess."

Achim took the opportunity to laugh at the memory of his test animals that he sent through simply imploding covering every single wall and Achim in various entrails and internal organs, but soon he continued.

"I tried to find a way of cutting through to the twilight realm after it became apparent that was the problem. I even went to the old Arbiters ground after I found out that was important, but alas I never made any head way there, I worked out what it was for but the tools were not at my disposal. I even began working on a technique to sever whatever the hell was feeding that maniac. But I would not work with them because they were led by someone who just…."

Achim then seemed to be strangling the non existent person in front of him with a twisted up face of frustration and low level hate before finally calming down and saying.

"That bloody woman Telma, she called the shots and I… ohh. Can you imagine serving under someone who in this crisis did not approach the situation with a level headed and dedicated attitude. Someone who still found time for fun and frivolity. Someone who still flirted and seemed to take life lightly despite the world being knee deep in horse manure. Can you?"

He started of quietly but by the end it was a shouting crescendo, spittle flying from his mouth in an angry hail and one eye twitching whilst the other was so far open it looked unnatural. Sankt was slightly unsettled to see his old friend act like this, he had anger yes everyone did but he never displayed it so readily. Nor did he often shout and that face was not something he had seen for many years. Clearly Achim had no respect for this woman and thus point blank refused to work with her. From what Sankt realised was most likely a biased description he had to agree with his colleague, such an attitude to such a situation would drive him insane and so he had to admit.

"No I cannot, I would demand a leader who showed the proper attitude, I would have no faith in a woman such as that you have described."

Achim gave a single firm nod of his head before saying.

" Exactly, I knew you were sensible and I knew you would agree, but unfortunately it means that most of her friends, those few who knew of my existence, do not deal with me and look upon me with distain."

Sankt realised just how much of a problem this could turn out to be, these people were now in influencial positions, or more commonly knew those who were in said positions. This could cause long term problems but he would find a way around them, Achim had proven to be a loyal colleague over the years and he would not readily abandon him, indeed such was being proven now as the duo drew close to the gates of town.


	6. A sacred dagger

Achim and Sankt had little difficulty entering the city, it was hardly as if they had been suddenly banned from entering the p

Achim and Sankt had little difficulty entering the city, it was hardly as if they had been suddenly banned from entering the place. Indeed the characteristic white headdresses both Achim and Sankt wore in some form or another were something of a pass in themselves, after all who else dressed like that? Plus with the heat still beating down in an unrelenting barrage fatigued guards were reluctant to go through any of the proper checks and procedures. However, both Sankt and Achim were reluctant to expose themselves to too many patrolling guards lest an investigation be launched into the governors impending demise and reports of their presence were made. Still, with what Achim had in mind evading the guards would hardly be a problem. Emerging into the hustle and bustle of the busy town still trading for all it was worth Achim swiftly began to lead Sankt aside and off towards the residential districts. This area of town contrasted heavily with the main square, back there you could scarcely hear yourself think for the noise of business, stall owners flogging their wares and the bleats and cries of live stock. The smell too in that bustling place would cause any discerning nose to try and crawl back up into the skull just to avoid the stench of manure and one or two suspect goods. Here however, calm began to wash over you almost as soon as you entered the area. The noise of the market was like a distant background hum and over it the occasional bird song could now be heard. The air was fresh and clean with a slight lavender tint to it. The streets to were clean, they even looked washed. Who washed cobbles? But none the less it appeared so. The buildings here too were of a higher quality and arranged more orderly some of them even had window boxes growing everything from carrots to roses.

Now Sankt new his friend had connections in odd places but here? Even if he did know some of the fellows who lived in this pleasant middle class area what use would they be in locating a dangerous and desperate noble? Achim however, seemed to know what he was doing as he looked around. But rather than look ahead he was looking up, up at the roofs and windows for some strange reason which was not currently explained. Sankt opened his mouth to speak and had got as far as forming the first half syllable when Achim flipped up a hand to silence his comrade saying quietly but sharply.

"Shh, stay quiet. He's close and we don't want to scare him."

These words served only to spike Sankt's curiosity. What were they after? Some sort of animal or feral beast? Sankt just lowered his head, shaking it gently from side to side wondering if Achim was beginning to get a loose screw. Achim meanwhile was still looking intently upwards, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he slowly raised a hand and seemed to point it at a blank wall. Sankt was now growing genuinely concerned, when Achim just pointed at things he was generally about to loose off a spell of some description and in a quiet residential district that would not be a good thing.

Then everything seemed to happen in a blur, it started with a tiny metallic chink like someone opening a fence gate, this was swiftly followed by a strange streak of movement along one of the walls, more of a suggestion of activity in the peripheral vision than actually seeing it happen. This was instantly followed by a very low frequency noise, like a thud on the lower limit of human hearing that seemed to echo in the ear almost forever. This noise was of course Achim loosing off a spell but not a destructive one, it was the same as the spell that had previously thrown the unfortunate bandit off of the cliff edge only now it cause the blur of movement to plummet towards the ground and hit it with a thud and a very human gasp. Quickly Achim was by the side of the prone figure saying hastily.

"Relax Nusstai, relax it's just me Achim. Sorry I had to do that but I knew you would have run off otherwise. Look we need you to a job."

The curled up figure apparently named Nusstai bounced to his feet quickly and slid back, curled ready to strike like a cat. Now this man became clear to Sankt's eye he could tell why Achim had come to this part of town to find him. He was clearly a cut purse and thief by trade and perhaps a cut throat as well judging by the equipment the man had. He wore a long dark cloak with a hood put up over his head so as to conceal his features in shadow. Open at the front tough leather protection could be made out, enough to resist most clubs and cudgels but light enough so as not to impede his movement. On the outside of one leg several lock picks, probing tools and other pieces of thieving equipment could be made out. On the other leg fifteen tiny blades were present, each one coated in a thin layer of black paint so as that the glint of metal would not give away his location. Two kukri style blades hung in their dark sheathes from his waste and upon his back was slung a large longbow, made out of jet black wood, perhaps ash but also clearly of some sort of foreign design, lying next to the bow on his back was a quiver full of black arrows with black fletching. He appeared utterly out of place with the two men standing before him but that was not what was playing on Nusstai's mind. To him the fact he was standing in open ground I broad daylight was more important. In the same hiss like whisper Achim had used not long ago Nusstai urged.

"Quick you fools, get of the street unless a guard comes and sees me."

Then leading the group on he darted to a man hole and lifted it up and jumping down landing softly at the other end. Achim and Sankt merely climbed down normally but still with haste, Sankt replacing the drain cover over their heads as he descended.

Now the trio had left the pleasant surroundings of the residential area and were instead encased in filth and stench if anything worse than the market, Nusstai and Achim seemed unaffected, clearly they had both been here before but Sankt, he was a desert dweller, used to clean pure air and wide open spaces, the market had been a stretch for him but this was beyond what his nose could cope with. Bending over he tried to grab at his face through the helmet, an impossible task, as he wretched and gagged going.

"Aw by the goddesses what an awful stench. Oh I feel like I'm going to be sick. Let's just do this and go. Urgh."

Achim chuckled somewhat and shook his head at Sankt before turning his attention back to Nusstai and making his apologies both for himself and his comrade.

"Sorry I had to startle you like that Nusstai, and sorry for my friends behaviour. He is used to the pure desert, not the filth of the city. But I agree with him, our business here should be quick. We do not have much time. We need to find the governor and we need him dead and what is more it has to look like suicide. Also we need it done before the guards get to him."

So Sankt had been right in his suspicions, this man killed as well as stole, this was not the sort of person had envisaged working with but desperate times called for desperate measures and he could foresee a more shadowy role to the organisation he was setting up, a role where things had to be done behind the scenes and not necessarily legally. Achim had already been doing that with his illegal surgeries. After all what was best was not always legal. Nusstai could have asked questions as to why the man had to die but he was a professional, he was just here to do a job but this one seemed like no easy task and the time frame was a further complication, but he had never turned down a job before and so he said in an oddly normal voice.

"Fair enough, but it's going to cost you. A lot, and it is not going to be normal payment either. I want my usual fee plus ten percent. But I also want you to get me the hell out of this city. You have connections, you know how to find people like me and you also know how to make me disappear if you want to. Things have gotten to complicated, I work for to many people and if I have not stabbed them in the back actually I have metaphorically. I wont live much longer. Get me out of this game."

Achim chuckled and gave a slight smile, he could not have asked for a more perfect arrangement. Nodding Achim replied.

" Deal, I can make you vanish, plus I can get you work in the future, a nice steady job. Sankt here has a vision and you could play a useful part in it. A roof over you head, food and security guaranteed plus I imagine some rather nice loot opportunities will come up. I can get you what you want."

Nusstai seemed to think on this for a while before nodding his head after careful consideration.

"It is good. Now about the job, suicides need notes, well usually they do. Do you want it to say anything."

Achim gave a short nod and produced a crumpled piece of paper and charcoal and scribbled down a note that read. "I am unable to face the charges brought against me and I am unable to escape the arms of the law. I will not tolerate imprisonment or the public shame. I can only hope my family will adapt and that not one inch of blame for my crimes be placed on them." Handing this note over Achim began to explain.

"If possible get it in his hand writing but."

However Nusstai finished it off saying.

"If that cannot be done use this, I know I know. I have done this before you know. Now be off with you. I will meet you both at Achim's house. Now go."

Rather than return up the man hole Achim beckoned Sankt to follow him down the sewer yet further in order to rise up at a point closer to his house. Sankt was still coughing and trying to hold his breath but still managed to run along after his friend.

Nusstai however, emerged up out of the man hole he had just clambered into and lifted the plate up so his eyes could check what was around before coming out totally. Then he burst into action, bouncing off of opposite walls until he was at last on the roof tops, where perhaps he was safest. After all there were no roof top guards unless you counted those on the city and castle walls. Still, safe as he was he exercised caution and tried to stick to the furrows in the roof tops where two houses joined or generally remain in the shadows, bent double and scuttling along like some sort of goblin like creature. Fortunately for Nusstai he knew where the governor would be, the governor worked all of his illegal meetings out of this building, why Musstai himself had worked for him once or twice and had always come to the same safe house in order to pick up his contracts. It also meant he knew the layout of the place, how to get in and out. This safe house was stupidly close to the market square where any guard could do a random check, but still it seemed to work, but it did mean Nusstai could not just walk in through the front door.

No, instead he had to sneak along and exercise caution as the crowds milling bellow him would easily be alerted by a single falling slate. On his belly now to keep his profile as low as possible Nusstai drew closer and closer to the glassless window that would provide his entrance way into the safe house as well as his exit. Unfortunately one guard was facing this window and Nusstai had to wait for him to be distracted somehow. He lay there, trying to keep his breathing and heart rate down, after all he could be spotted at any moment. The guard was looking right at him now, one tiny cough would give Nusstai away. Things were getting risky now but fortunately a small child came up to pester the guard for directions and Nusstai used this opportunity to slip in through the window as quickly as he could only to collide with an unsuspecting governor who was busy burning documentation of his vile deeds. Assassin and statesman sprawled upon the floor for a moment but unsurprisingly he assassin recovered first, slamming one hand down on the governors mouth so he could not scream with the other he drew out a wet rag from the inky recesses of his cloak and hen used that to cover the governor's nose and mouth. Slowly, gently the man faded into unconsciousness.

Several hours latter, now as twilight descended upon the realm, the man awoke to find himself tied to a chair, gagged and with one free hand, an assassin looming over him with a blank quill and parchment with a warm smile on his face, his cowl pulled back enough to reveal that but not his eyes and said to the bound man.

"Relax governor, sorry I had to ambush you like that and tie you up but I could not risk you panicking and raising the alarm. I could not have helped you then. Yes I am here to help. I have been hired by your friends to the south to get you out of here. I will smuggle you out in a food cart but first we need to fake your death. Please copy out this suicide note so the handwriting people will not detect the forgery."

Bound as he was the governor seemed eager to comply and with one hand wrote the note whilst Nusstai held it down for him. Was the man really that stupid? Or perhaps it was desperation. There was a slim chance the man was telling the truth and that slim chance was all the governor had, he simply had to go with it. Having written the note Nusstai smiled and gave a brief nod before readjusting his cowl to once again utterly conceal his features and then pull out the rag once more.

With the governor once again unconscious Nusstai worked quickly. Lighting a fire he then began to fill a tub with water and place this over the fire, allowing the water to heat up. Whilst this was happening he walked over to the governor and removed all of his clothing, folding them neatly by the bath before walking over to the governor's shaving kit and withdrawing the razor. Then the assassin just waited, occasionally checking the temperature of the water, waiting until it was nice and hot where upon he lowered the still unconscious governor in to the bath and placing the razor in the governors hand he used his own hand to make sure the governor gripped the tool. Then guiding the hand over the opposite wrist he sliced the arteries wide open, reversing the process he did the same with the other hand before looking down at his work and escaping through the window with great haste.

With the crowds of day time gone Nusstai was able to proceeded far more safely to Achim's house but he still moved along the roof tops. Dropping down into the alley he knocked on the door to have it swing open all by itself. Walking in Nusstai said in a casual voice.

"It is done."

Two things were then thrown at his feet, a large coin purse drawn from a large chest of money Achim had mysteriously acquired and a large white cloak he had bought at market to replace the black one. Nusstai was now one of the men in white and with the governor out of the picture they could start doing things more honestly and prepare to save the nation. Nusstai turned his back on Achim and Sankt to change cloaks, clearly he was unwilling to show his face but why was not apparent, nor was it important now as the trio settled down for a nights sleep, only to wake on the morrow to a commotion outside, something was happening in the market. Something that was not supposed to happen.


	7. the beginning of it all

The differences in style and approach between the three whit robes men currently in Achim's bottom room would very shortly become apparent. The noise of some sort of commotion from the market caused all three to burst outside into the street but there the similarities ended. Sankt was the first to act and began running hell for leather towards the town square but refused to draw any weapons until he had at least seen what was going on. Achim ran along behind Sankt but only with the desire to support his old friend rather than out of any desire to intervene in what was going on. Nusstai for his part instinctively got off of the street as soon as possible and scaled a near by drain pipe in order to gain access to the slated roof. There he remained hunched over and scuttled along to the far lip of the roof. This meant he was the first to spy the commotion and it was not something he was expecting to see by any stretch of the imagination. What lay before him seemed utterly inexplicable, the guards were attacking civilians but other guards as well. What is more they were all wearing the same clothing styles. Or so it seemed from this distance and when a guard was fighting a guard Nusstai had absolutely no way of telling which one would latter go on to attack civilians. What on earth was going on here? However, problematic as things may be for the roof top assassin he was not impotent by any stretch of the imagination. Unslinging his bow he selected one of his black ashen arrows with the crows feather fletching and strung the weapon. Drawing the string to his shoulder he began to scan the turmoil that lay bellow him until he would see a guard raise his weapon to a civilian where upon he would lose his arrow. This happened after roughly three seconds and he watched with satisfaction as the lethal black streak tore right into the neck of his victim who sank slowly to the floor clutching at his neck trying desperately to stem the red ooze of life rapidly gushing from his throat. Stringing another shot Nusstai resumed scanning the crowd to try and pick off some seemingly crazed soldier.

Sankt rounded the corner mere moments after Nusstai's victim had sunk to the ground. The scene baffled him as much as anyone and being on the ground meant that he had an even worse understanding of things that Nusstai. Drawing his blade and holding it now in the normal way he moved cautiously into the crowd, trying to pick out someone or something that needed dealing with, unfortunately something found him first, one of these apparently berserk guards. It was bearing down upon him but in a manner that was far from crazed, crazed people tended to move to much, go for all out attacks or take huge wide swings. This man was doing things professionally. Sankt merely caught the hint of movement to his right and instinctively acted on it. Spinning on his heel he placed his shield squarely in front of him just in time to block a thrusting blow from a spear which broke from the impact, the head falling off of it. But rather than use the now staff of a weapon to attack Sankt as a mad man would the guard dropped the effectively useless piece of wood and used his whole weight to slam into Sankt's shield with one shoulder and make a grad at Sankt's sword arm with the other. Thus he prevented Sankt from using a shield bash or making a good swing. Fortunately for Sankt though he was pretty deft with his blade and used a swift circular movement with his wrist similar to a fencing parry to slice off the incoming hand of his opponent who, shocked, staggered back leaving himself open to a neck level swing. Of course this was an opportunity Sankt took and quickly removed his opponents head which fell to the ground, a look of permanent surprise on its features whilst the body fell slowly backwards, gushing life.

Whilst Sankt was throwing himself into the thick of things and Nusstai was trying to pick off the guards that were obviously attacking civilians Achim was trying to work out a way to separate the civilians from the slaughter so at least they would be safe and perhaps then a more effective solution could be arranged. Climbing on top of a near by traders cart he spied small sections of panicking civilians that did not have guards in their midst and immediately sealed them off behind a protective magical barrier. Each little circle had roughly five people in it and he had created three such circles before one of the peculiar guards focused his attention on Achim working on the correct idea that if Achim was killed the civilians would become vulnerable again. Rather than go for an instant kill the guard used his spear to swipe at the distracted Achim's ankles and send him tumbling down to fall in amongst the various wares contained inside the cart he was standing on. Now in a vulnerable position and with no weapon drawn he was at the guards mercy. Or would have been were he not a talented magic weaver. Using one of the oldest spells around he flung out his hand almost defensively but in so doing forced the guard backwards, throwing him like a rag doll against a near by wall. However, the distance was not great enough for the flying guard to build up enough momentum to kill himself. Nor were there any hand items for him to be impaled upon so the spell was only a momentary delay for the guard. But that was long enough for Achim to quickly pull out one of the many medical tools that hung off of his blood soaked apron and toss it at the recovering guard. The item he threw looked a lot like a meat cleaver but it did the job, landed square in the opponents chest, cleaving through the armour and digging somewhat into the lungs. Of course this was not a quick death. The guard had to struggle against the rising tide of liquid in his lungs for several minutes until he died, curled up in a pool of his own still warm blood, vomiting the red water of life mixed with his own mucous as he desperately tried to expel the blood from his lungs thus allowing him to breath, all to no avail. Achim however, took little notice of this. He felt no need to put the man out of his misery and there were civilians to save so with the immanent danger averted he went about slowly isolating civilians batch by batch once again.

From his roof top vantage point Nusstai was still trying to work out a better way of discerning friend from foe whilst still picking off the guards who were obviously attacking civilians with his arrows as black as night. Most usually after that guard was dead Achim would isolate the recently saved civilians. Now however, another element was about to be added to these frankly bizarre events that would make things not only slightly clearer in the short term but also provide a vital clue as to the bigger picture. That element was princess Zelda herself who rode into combat now with a much reduced guard, only two mounted elite guards and Ashei. Clearly she too had hurried to the commotion with as much speed as possible and thus not been fully prepared. Just like everyone else she was also having difficulty telling friend from foe. She sat their upon her horse with a rarely displayed confused look, glancing around trying to make reason or rhyme of the current situation. However, whilst Zelda was confused the mysterious homicidal guardsmen were suddenly united by a single purpose as with renewed energy the pushed away whoever they were battling and surged towards the princess with looks of hate and malice in their eyes. This at least made them easier to spot, for a few moments at least. Nusstai began loosing arrows as quickly as he could at all the guards who were heading towards the princess and her escort, acting much like a guardian angel only far less angelic. He managed to bring down two with one blow to each. One through the neck and the other through the heart, dispatching them quickly enough. A third took two arrows to bring down as the first only lodged in the guards shoulder which oddly enough did not seem to even lessen the mad man's performance such was his single minded devotion to the goal.

Zelda too seemed to be able to determine who the aggressors were now but alas to late as the attackers managed to get to her horse and drag it down by the reigns whereupon the chopped of the brilliant white horse's legs. The two mounted guards with princess Zelda were not faring much better. One raised his sword arm to take a swipe at what he believed to be one of the psychotic guards only to have the opening exploited by another who thrust a spear into the riders open arm pit, disabling the sword arm and provoking a shrieking wail as the badly injured man toppled off of his horse and curled up in a ball on the ground, desperately attempting to stem the bleeding by clutching at what may well prove to be a fatal wound. The other was having to deal with his own aggressors rather than rescue the princess, unlike his foolish colleague he was concentrating on blocking and parrying attacks, waiting for an enemy to make a mistake before striking himself. Even Ashei was proving useless, at least to Zelda as she had to try and guide her horse through a swarm of panicking civilians and disorientated and confused guards. There was however, an upside to Zelda being brought down and that was most of the civilians now had guards nowhere near them and thus Achim could safely secure the vast majority of the people from harm behind the magical barrier. Sankt meanwhile was determined to go to the princess's aid, after all she was currently a key component in the safety of the world as a whole or at least Hyrule, if she were slain and her powers and gifts to fall into the wrong hands then goddesses only know what would happen. Surging forward Sankt realised he would not be able to reach the princess in time, or at least not before the guard currently raising his spear had an opportunity to thrust it down on her still prone form. The words the guard spoke were interesting and would warrant further investigation latter. They were.

"Die chosen of the goddesses!"

However, actions not words were what was playing on Sankt's mind and action now. Keeping firm hold of the end of the swords strap he threw his blade forward where it ran straight and true, plummeting into the exposed back of the attacking guard causing him to freeze in mid strike, drop his weapon clumsily to the ground and stagger backwards mere moments before death. Meanwhile Sankt gave a firm yank upon the strap to return the sword to his hand where he gripped it firmly and charged forward in order to enter the fray in a more conventional manner.

Zelda still had several other guardsmen bearing down upon her but with the most threatening one deal with by Sankt she had opportunity to regain her focus and use a spell similar to the one Achim had used earlier to throw back everyone who surrounded her indiscriminately. She chose this spell because she had only a split second to decide what to do and in that split second she could not discern friend from foe with enough certainty to cast a destructive spell. This rather bought her time without permanently harming anyone with one acceptation. The two of her mounted guards who had not yet been brought off of his hose was thrown off by her spell and alas landed on the upturned spear of one of the seemingly deranged guards. Sliding down it slowly like meat on a barbecue stick, leaving a red trail of blood along the wooden shaft as he gasped for air and clawed uselessly at the spear before finally dying. Not yet allowing herself to be affected by the mishap Zelda quickly got to her feet and looked around. One of the attacking guards was attempting to finish off her downed colleague, as an obvious enemy she flung out a hand towards this man and fired what appeared to be a thin jet of pure light which upon impact seemed to make the man catch on fire for a split second before exploding.

This however, left her outstretched spell casting arm exposed and a sword wielding attacking guardsman took this opportunity to slice down upon the extended limb in a bid to cut it off. Fortunately for Zelda though Sankt was by now close enough to do something about this but rather than plain kill the man he had to make sure his opponent fell backwards otherwise the fall would still remove Zelda's arm. Thankfully because the shield was strapped to his arm a the wrist rather than actually holding it it meant he could reach out with his shield bearing arm and grab his opponent by the shoulder from the left hand side and pull his opponent backwards whilst with the other hand stab him in the small of the back, the hand and a half sword tearing through him like punching through a wet paper bag. Only one attacker was left now, standing on the far side of princess Zelda who had by now retracted her arm to a safer position. Since there were no obstacles between the dying guard and the still live one Sankt threw the gasping man towards his comrade as something of a distraction whilst Sankt followed up close behind using the combined weight of the dying guard and himself to force the last remaining aggressor to the ground. No on top of him, all be it awkwardly, he used the upper rim of his helmet to repeatedly smash against the pined man's skull. Each blow created a more and more guttural scream from the man which slowly faded into silence, only the sound of already well broken bone being repeatedly driven into already well minced brain tissue as Sankt seemed unaware that his opponent was dead and just kept hammering away at it like a mad man. It took Achim coming up behind him and pulling Sankt up by the shoulder with the words.

"Relax, stop. They're all dead now. The only ones left are on our side."

To calm the excited and over eager Sankt down.

Ashei, who had played little part in the fight, now hopped down from her house and charged straight at Achim, but not with weapon drawn rather hand extended and shoved the man backwards, not something Achim usually tolerated, after all not every bloodstain on his apron was from surgery. The shove was accompanied with the bluntly spoke words.

"Stay away from the princess traitor! Or are you one of them yeah?"

Achim sighed and shook his head taking a few steps away from the woman saying more to Sankt than anyone else.

"Bloody woman, she has no clue."

Sankt snorted a tad but did not openly agree with Achim just now, not in public at least. Zelda for her part decided to play the mediator role and try to calm her ally down saying in her seemingly always level tones.

"Now Ashei, if he were one of them sent to kill me and the civilians he would not have saved so many of us. Nor would he have done so by the bridge either. He is a man of the people."

This provoked an outburst from Ashei who stated.

"During the troubles this so called man refused to help us. He was worse than a coward he refused to nail his colours to the mast!"

Before Zelda could even react Achim had cut across with his reply, practically spitting the words.

"Only because you were led by an inept woman who inspired no confidence in me. I felt I was doing more good on my own and don't even give me that crap about your people winning the war, it was hardly anything to do with you. It was almost all link and the work of the twilight princess and you bloody well know it so keep quiet"

It was clear this was going to quickly degenerate into a shouting match and possibly even violence and so Sankt felt the need to intervene, stepping forward and whispering in Achim's ear as Nusstai finally dropped down into the square.

"Listen, just try to keep quiet okay, no need to upset these people yet. We will deal with it latter."

Giving a reluctant sigh of acceptance Achim seemed to fall into silence and hang his head, not out of shame but because he just simply did not want to look at Ashei right now lest he enter into another outburst. She meanwhile just gave a slight snort of self-congratulation. Meanwhile Zelda took things along a more practical line. Turning to see Sankt again she smiled at him briefly for a moment saying.

"You have a habbit of being in the right place at the right time it would seem. You also seem a good man. I have a feeling this event will not be an isolated one. Investigate it, do what you can for the good of the nation. Meanwhile I will send word for Link, I feel this a matter that deserves his attention also. Until then I bid you all goodbye."

With that she turne dtowards the magical barrier Achim had created and walked towards it, obviously wanting to tend to the injured. Achim therefore lowered the protective screen and headed away from where he currently was, Sankt close behind and with Nusstai coming up the rear in order to discuss just what to do next in solitude and to figure out what was going on. It was now Sankt, quite by chance made an important discovery. He looked at two corpses side by side, a confused look on his concealed features. Slowly he filtered out what Achim was saying behind him and walked towards the pair of dead men, staring at them both for a while before beckoning his comrades over saying.

"Say guys. You two should take a look at this."

Pacing over the other two both noticed what Sankt had and both gave a little gasp, the two faces were absolutely identical.


	8. A fresh lead and A fresh horse

((OOC:Apologies for the earlier replication of opening lines and also my apologies for this slightly awkward chapter. Please I ask of you I need reviews this is my first submission and I have no idea if I am doing well or not, what is good and what is bad.))

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The discovery of two identical guards lying dead side-by-side was the most perplexing thing about an already baffling incident. However, it would soon prove to be a vital clue rather than a mystifying dead end. Judging by the wounds on one of the two dead combatants the pair had not been on the same side and one had killed the other shortly before being dispatched by another one of the participants in the engagement. This being a mystery Achim was of course the one tasked with finding out just what was causing this. However, other tasks played upon the minds of the group. Chiefly the fact that the workers still needed to be paid and phase two of construction had to be put into effect. Thankfully this would not be much of a problem as Achim had managed to obtain a medium sized chest of rupees during Nusstai's assassination of the governor, yet another mystery but this time a less troubling one. Currently Achim was sitting down in a large high backed chair decorated in soft, plush upholstery the colour of clay. Nusstai was standing in a shadowy corner, glancing around more out of habit than actual nervousness or paranoia and Sankt was pacing up and down the room mulling over the identity of the attackers. Achim too was doing this and was laid back in his chair, hands gently brought together on his chest and eyes closed he looked almost asleep. His thoughts were only interrupted when Nusstai, ever the man to concentrate on more material things asked.

"Achim, you spend all of your money on research and decorating this one room, where on earth did you get that chest of rupees?"

Thiugh his eyes remained closed a knowing smile spread across his middle aged features as he gave a small chuckle.

"Well, I suppose I can tell you. You asked me to make you safe and I have but one of your old clients didn't buy the story so I had to deal with him."

Achim chuckled a bit as did Sankt, though his was near inaudible beneath the helmet he was still wearing. Both men had reached the same conclusion though it was Nusstai who spoke.

"So you killed him and took all the money in his house."

This provoked a tiny snort of derision from Achim and a shake of the head.

"Good grief no, that would have been unbelievably stupid. No no, he was an underworld character as you well know. I just turned him into the guards and collected the reward, pretty heft one too. Don't worry it's safe unlike the governor this one knew nothing."

Both Nusstai and Sankt were mildly surprised by this, usually Achim just killed people, this was most certainly out of character, they would have asked more but a raised hand from Achim signalled that he wanted the questioning to stop, after all he had to concentrate on the issue of the doppelgangers. An idea began to tickle the back of his head, he found himself vaguely recording an old myth, something about a parallel world. But surely that was the twilight realm, none of it quite tallied.

Standing up now he went to one of the many book cases that littered the walls of this room, an observant eye would notice that the books in this section were myths and legends both popular and obscure as well as conjectures on the realms based on those stories. Eventually Achim pulled out a book entitled. "Creatures of the Realms" Opening this book he placed his finger upon the page and ran through a list, sliding his finger down as he went saying.

"Twili, Goron, Zora, Deku, Kokiri, Hylian, Fairy, Merman, Ghost, Yeti ah here we are, doppelgangers."

Running his finger across the page he found the page number and flicked to it only to perk an eye brow with surprise and read the page in engrossed silence. Eventually he snapped the book closed and gave a brief summary of what he had read.

"Well people, it turns out that one of the predecessors of our current hero of time came back from one of his adventures seemingly, well soft in the head. He seemed lucid enough but apparently he kept on talking about a strange world where everyone he knew had been perfectly replicated though with several differences in personality and role. He told tales also of a repeating three day time loop. Since he had just emerged from the forest after well over three days and all on his own it was assumed that he had eaten something hallucinogenic in their or just gone temporarily insane the whole thing seemed so implausible. But now it seems there may have been some truth to the story. We have no clue however, as to how to get there save that the old hero emerged from somewhere deep in the old lost woods. Well, that will be like searching for a needle in a hay stack."

He tossed the book casually into the chest full of rupees and closed the lid mumbling a tad to himself before saying.

"We may need it, but we had best bee heading back to Ruld and the workers, we aren't going to learn anything new here."

Achim casually waved a hand at the chest, indicating for Sankt and Nusstai to pick it up whilst he headed towards the door one hand resting in a pouch on the front of his blood soaked apron. Sankt gripped one end of the chest whilst Nusstai grabbed the other and with a grunt the pair of them picked it up, almost instantly Sankt complained with a grimace.

"Good grief, this things weighs a tonne you old dog"

Nusstai remained silent however, far to busy straining to keep his grip on what was indeed a heavy object, crystals they may be but this many still weighed an awful lot. Achim meanwhile held the door open with one hand and said sharply.

"Stop complaining and start carrying, it's going to get worse after all it's hardly a short walk from here to the lake." Groaning Sankt began to lead the pair carrying the chest through the door way, as he passed Achim the man took the opportunity to slap Sankt around the head in a friendly way but forgot his old friend was now wearing a helmet and caught his palm on the rim of the helmet concealed beneath the head dress. Achim gave a short hiss and cradled his hand for a moment as Sankt chuckled and carried the chest out into the alley way, Nusstai behind arching himself backward straining for all he was worth, he was having an even tougher time than Sankt.

The trio got about as far as the market square before Nusstai just gave in, dropping that case with a last grunt of effort, so relieved was he at the fact the weight was lifted that he quite failed to notice it landing sharply on his toe. Sankt seeing this lowered his end more gently saying to Achim.

"This is useless, we're never going to be able to lug this all the way back to the construction site, perhaps we could build some sort of sled and drag it behind us."

He gave a slight shrug and walked around lifting the box off of Nusstai's toes and sliding them out, still the assassin noticed nothing, he was just glad to be free of the heavy lifting. The trio sat there musing this problem for a while when a voice said behind them.

"Looks like you three could do with some horses."

The group turned around to see a friendly looking face on a plump little body dressed in rough, rugged styled clothes. He was standing in front of a large pen with ten horses in it of varying breeds and ages. Beside the man was what looked like a large strong box, after all these things hardly came cheap. Achim instantly began to shake his head saying.

"No no, our feet are.."

But Sankt quickly stepped forward and placed a hand over his comrades mouth saying hastily through his helmet.

"Yes we would be interested, we need three horses if you don't mind."

He thought about getting a fourth for Ruld but decided against it, the man would most likely snap the back of whatever poor creature he sat upon, no Ruld was going to need something for more sturdy but for the other three horses would be perfect for the job. The owner stepped aside and gestured into the pen saying.

"What are you three looking for by way of a horse?"

Achim now managed to wiggle free of the hand and protested strongly.

"We aren't looking for one."

Sankt, by way of reply smacked the man around the top of the head firmly and half hissed half whispered.

"Shut up, we need them you tight fisted hound. Not just for this but think of all the travelling we will have to do, maybe even fighting on horse back. There's enough money in the chest."

Then speaking to the trader in a much more friendly voice, discernable even bellow his helmet.

"Well we need durability more than anything else, we aren't looking for sprinters or show jumpers by any means. We are more interested in sturdiness."

The trader gave a slight grimace and scratched the back of his head, he looked awkward but eventually came out with.

"Well I do have three horses like that, sort of. Two of them are fine beasts. Obedient as well but the third is something of a handful. He's not violent or overactive, quite the opposite in fact. He is just disobedient, any rider he has ever had. Well he just never does anything, despite instruction he just stands there resolutely ignoring whoever tries to tell him what to do. Aside from that he is everything you asked for, quick on top of that. I'll sell the two ordinary ones to you for four hundred each but the troublemaker, he's yours for two hundred, a snatch. He is higher quality after all."

Sankt tried to identify the troublemaker in the crowd. It took a while to spot but he eventually identified it due to it's behaviour. Whilst all the others moved around this one stood stock still, the horse trader nodded his head as if to say that it was indeed the one. Sankt felt that this would be a fine mount if he could get it to obey him but that was a very big if.

He kept on eyeing the creature through the helmet, his own eyes of course invisible but the horse knew he was being watched and turned for face Sankt and just stared right back at him. Things continued on like this for some time, Sankt having no idea what so ever what to do next Achim meanwhile was mumbling to himself grumpily as Nusstai opened the chest and began to pay the horse trader for the creatures, a brown mare for Nusstai and a black gelding for Achim. Sankt meanwhile was just staring at the brilliant white horse before him which slowly drew closer, but not in a friendly way, no rather in a slightly aggressive fashion as if to draw closer only to be able to stare with greater effect. Sankt, no caught in this staring contest could not help but wonder if this was the right way to go about things but it was to late now. The idea he was currently working on was to show the horse he was determined as it was, if not more so and thus win the creatures obedience, or at least work towards that. It was a feeble plan yes but it was all he had. The duo, horse and man continued to stare for some long time at one another until eventually the horse gave way, snorted and bucked his head taking a step or two backward. Almost at once Sankt extended a slow but firm hand to immediately comfort the creature, to rub it on the side of its head and although the creature did not reciprocate neither did it protest. Now that Sankt had made some head way he asked for his horse to be saddled up which it was with a black leather saddle, offsetting the near ethereal white of the creature. This done he hoped lightly over the fence and went to the horses side and stroked its neck a few times before mounting up, the creature stood stock still as expected. Sankt allowed this to happen for a while, allowed the horse to get used to him before gently he tapped his heels into the creature's flanks motioning it on and the creature obeyed moving forward at a slow walk. The dealers jaw almost fell open, surprise evident across his face until eventually he stuttered.

"I can't believe you just did that, no one has ever been able to ride that thing."

Sankt looked down at the dealer through his helmet and said jokingly.

"I am not just anybody. Now what is this creature's name?"

"Urko."

Was the simple reply, it seemed an appropriate enough name for the beast. Now Sankt had all he needed from the horse trade her turned to Achim and ordered.

"Split the weight between the horses, but the money in the saddle bags and leave the chest. We have to move quickly."

Achim did as he was instructed and soon the trio were off, out of the city and heading towards their lands, Achim mumbling all the way about the money they spent.

Their journey across the plains was much quicker for the horses however, and when they reached the construction site the farms were all but finished and most of the construction materials had been cleared away. Ruld walked up now with a large white all round body cloak draped over his shoulders concealing the tatty improvised armour that lay beneath, in one hand he still clutched the halberd and he wore a look of impatience upon his face as he said.

"You took your time, now where is the four hundred rupees you owe the men? And who is the new guy in the hood?"

Reaching into the saddle bag Sankt began to explain.

"That? Oh he's Nusstai. A very helpful man to have about the place we have discovered. Here's the money by the way."

Said Sankt as he proffered his hand, four hundred rupees in red pieces lay in his hand. With the other he reached into his robes and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to a near by worker explaining.

"Those are the plans for phase two, as you can see it is a small keep and barracks idea to be done mot and bailey style. How much do you think the lads will need as an advanced payment on this thing?"

Ruld speculated for a while before venturing.

"Well most of it is wood, very little stone needed now, sat two hundred for the materials, the labour costs at the end though will be high."

Reaching into Achim's saddle bag now he drew out two hundred rupees and tossed them to the same construction worker who had the plans. This drew splutters of protest from Achim but no actual action, he knew he was powerless to resist after all. The group would have talked further, and most likely much louder were it not for the sight of a green figure slowly riding into view.


	9. Riding with a legend

The approaching figure of Link provoked what can only be called mixed reactions from the group. Ruld had his spirits at once lifted by the sight of the great hero approaching. A smile drifted across his face and he rubbed his hands together with pleasure saying.

"The great hero of time. He will sort everything out, wherever he goes victory and freedom is not far behind."

Ruld's day was clearly being positively brightened. Nusstai was however, less than enthusiastic as his horse took a few hesitant steps backward and he averted his gaze mumbling with a tone of obvious combined fear and bitterness.

"That is precisely what I am afraid of. Peoples definition such things as good and evil, justice and so fourth tend to be quite narrow and I doubt the man will be keen to overlook my past activities if he ever finds out."

Achim turned to face his hooded colleague and gave a smile that was somewhere between sinister and insane, the single wide open eye whilst the other squinted did not serve to make the man seem any more normal as he said almost mockingly.

"Is that fear I hear in your voice, fear of one such as this? You need not fear him because he lacks intellect, free thought. He is all morals and no thought, emotions with no rationality. This usually results in thinking what people tell him to think and most importantly doing what people tell him to do. You just have to frame things the right way that's all. I must say I am looking forward to playing with what the man laughingly calls his mind."

He turned back now to facing the still far off figure and chuckling slightly to himself. Sankt shot a useless disapproving look at Sankt from under his helmet and said in a slightly stern voice.

"May I remind you that our function is to fill the holes the hero of time leaves in this worlds defence not to manipulate him."

This caused Achim to chuckle once more but still keep his eyes fixed on Link saying.

"And may I remind you that no hero has ever functioned successfully without someone controlling his mind ranging from fairies to princesses, both of light and twilight and most of the people in between. He does what they tell him to do, the hero of time has proven this over centuries he has never set his own agenda. Even now he comes here at the call of the princess. Sankt old friend, his mind is one of the gaps we have to fill. If not us someone else will."

Sankt remained silent for a moment before giving a slight sigh, a shake of the head and a friendly laugh. Achim after all made some good points and perhaps they appealed to something deep inside Sankt, after a few moments and a chance to catch his breath he said to Achim.

"Perhaps, perhaps we will have to discuss it another day. In the meantime I am looking forward to observing other holes the man leaves so as that we may learn how best to fill them and thus serve the land, indeed all the realms. But shh, he draws close."

Achim gave a last little smile, perhaps of victory but there was something else lurking beneath that smile and for once it was not something sinister. But now, the great man himself, Link the hero of time drew up to the group riding upon Epona, he matched every expectation the rumours created in the group as far as appearance went but the image of an invincible warrior hero who's every word served to inspire the masses and instil confidence and hope in those around him was quickly banished. Instead of the oratory master piece the reports had led people to believe, well all bar the cynical Achim instead he simply said.

"So you're the people I am supposed to be working with? I was told about the knight in white"

Link said with a slight nod Sankt's way before continuing.

"And I suppose the rest of you are all normal enough but, well. I never worked with a man wearing a blood soaked apron before with lots of suspicious tools hanging off of him and with an odd look in his eye. Were I to meet you in any other circumstance I would think you were one of my enemies."

Almost at once the spirits of the whole group sank, not only was Link not all he was cracked up to be but it looked as though there were going to be some fundamental issues along the way. Achim however, quickly recovered from this lull in moral and used the opportunity to illustrate his earlier point saying.

"Oh Link, have your adventures taught you nothing? You know not to judge by surface appearances, why think only of your most recent adventures, had you done so think of what would have happened. Gorons look like huge primitive brutes but are capable of great emotion and diversity. Midna even, mischievous callas imp turned, well I wasn't there but the rumours are quite impressive."

Achim's words made Link nod his head at first in understanding before making him sigh with remembrance and nod his head, playing on the boy's emotions was the icing on the metaphorical cake and whilst Link was reflecting Achim turned and winked at Sankt as if to demonstrate just how easy it all was before tuning his attention back to Link as the green clad man said with a slightly wistful tone.

"I suppose you are right. You did do a good turn after all, I heard you helped save a lot of townspeople, I shouldn't have doubted you. Sorry."

Achim just extended a hand and tapped Link lightly on the shoulder saying.

"No need to worry, no harm done, but there will be if we can't do something about these doppelgangers before the next attack. Obviously we have to reach their realm but unfortunately we don't know where the entrance is, all we know is that it is in what used to be the lost woods. Of course they have gotten a lot smaller over the centuries."

Link shrugged and opened his arms out wide saying with a slightly despondent look upon his face.

"Then what can we do?"

After a moments pause Sankt ventured, hesitantly at first as the idea finished forming in his brain but more confidently by the end.

"Well we know where the lost odds once, south east of here. True they were huge but in order from anything from the south east to reach the city it would have to pass through Ordon. Yes Ordon. If we head there and start questioning the locals as well as observing the traversable routes in time we are bound to come across enemy patrols, scouting parties or even the second wave. We take one alive and they lead us to the portal, problem solved. Or at least one of many problems solved."

There was an approving nod from Achim and the rest of the group, Link remained blank, possibly unconvinced Ruld looked over at Sankt saying slowly.

"One of many problems?"

Sankt gave a nod and said with a slight tone of ennui.

"Well yes of course, getting there is just the start, we then have to find out what is going on, work out a way to stop it and put that plan into action and that is not considering all the problems that may arise as a result of enemy action or unforeseen factors. But we must make a move now. We ride south."

Sankt, Achim, Nusstai and Ruld all began heading south, going at a walk so as not to tire their horse or in Ruld's case his legs. Looking behind them Sankt noticed Link was not following atop Epona and so he called out.

"Come on you, keep up!"

Then turning to Achim he glanced at his old comrade and shook his head sighing, Achim really was right Link just did what he was told and believed almost anything, the hero of time was even more flawed than even Sankt had believed.

Eventually Link caught up with the group and moved to its centre and he glanced around the four white clad characters, the huge one carrying a halberd like a tooth pick, the shady one in a white cloak and cowl, the slightly mad looking one with blood soaked apron and suspicious array of tools and the armoured one in white over robes who seemed to be in charge. They certainly were an odd grouping when first glanced at and to someone on the outside the fact they were together at all and why would be something of a mystery. A mystery Link seemed keen to explore and so he asked.

"So how exactly do you all know each other?"

This was a question most were less than keen to answer, for all but Ruld some pretty shady topics were about to rear their ugly heads. But because Ruld had nothing to fear he broke the ice and said in as friendly a tone as a man mountain can muster.

"Well, Sankt and Achim here were scheduled for assassination and me and my slave friends were being used as bait, but those two over powered the attackers and set us all free, it was then that I decided to join them in the hopes that I could do the same to others in turn, plus well I do owe them."

Link gave an approving nod and turned to smile at both Sankt and Achim saying.

"Humm, it seems I really did miss judge you Achim. A freer of slaves is a good man in my book. But what about you and Sankt, how did you two meet up?"

Everyone now turned to look at Achim and Sankt, what expressions were visible were all expressions of genuine interest and intrigue. Up until now their friendship had just been assumed, taken for granted no one had even thought to ask how it came about. To be honest Achim and Sankt were less than willing to share all the details of the story now either. It contained some frankly iffy family history many generations ago and more recently an encounter with the inhabitants of the desert, or at least those who had been there until recently. Achim and Sankt looked at one another in silence for a while before turning to Link and staring at him in silence for a while. Sankt was the one to speak and when he did so he spoke hesitantly, every word carefully considered.

"Achim is, well he's the closest thing to a family I have. When everyone else was dead or captured it was Achim who took me away from it all as a small child and raised me by himself, we two are the only known survivors of our people. The origins of our tribe are lost in time, or so I believe but we were living in the great Gerudo desert well before they ever were. Generations in fact, we roamed the desert, hiding from everyone, but that is another story. Eventually the Gerudo turned up and all was well, we traded, swapped technologies and skills, that is why some of our equipment looks very Gerudo and the rest does not. But as you know, an all female group has to abduct men to father children, upon insemination they are…. Well, quickly disposed of. We had come to trust the Gerudo so we did not suspect the large trading party we let into our camp would turn on us, the whole tribe was swiftly enslaved. The women folk slaughtered on the spot the men and boys dragged away to await their fate. Achim, in his early thirties then, I was six. We were taken to their base, both of us tried to escape more than once….. both of us paid the price more than once as well. Then the Gerudo started to leave their base, leave the desert altogether, with a slowly reducing guard we broke free. Well, he broke free and rescued me. Then the pair of us headed into the desert where we are most at home and he raised me there. We parted ways when I reached sixteen but never fell completely out of touch save for when Zant was up to his old tricks."

There the tale seemed to come to an end but Achim gave a sigh of slight sadness that he turned rapidly into one of those friendly sighs where you don't really mean it, put an arm around Sankt and jostled him in a friendly way saying.

"And look at you, you turned out all right."

He laughed once more, this kind of affection was rare from Achim, even when displayed towards Sankt. Once the group got to now Achim better they would see this as an obvious sign of some sort of cover up, there was another lay to all of this, a layer Achim did not want investigated. Link was of course oblivious to this and instead just wore a face that was a combination of shocked, appalled, sympathetic and concerned until eventually he said in a soft and comforting way.

"That, that's shocking I had no idea that you two had been through all of that together. I didn't mean to bring anything up, if you ever want to talk about it I.."

But the sentence was never finished as Achim cut across it like a razor saying sharply.

"We don't want to talk about it, we have managed very well for the past twelve years without you!"

Everyone looked shocked by this outburst, it was not the way people spoke to Link, or at least not the way people should. The reaction was also perhaps, overdoing it a tad. After all Link had only expressed concern but it seemed that Link was quite a big man and did not snap back as he raised his hands in the air and closed his eyes saying.

"Of course, of course my apologies. I only just met you not my job to go asking about your past. Your forgiveness please."

Sankt was glaring at Achim now, the intensity of the glare discernable even to an outside viewer and even through the helmet. Not taking his eyes off of Achim Sankt said.

"It is given, and I apologise for my friends outburst. I had almost forgotten how tetchy he could get."

Then leaning into Achim Sankt slapped the back of his head and hissed quietly.

"What on earth do you think you're doing man?"

An argument could well have started between the pair now were it not for the progress they were making, because of the conversation they had not noticed just how far south they had come, they were well in the narrow pass to their destination by now. An area possibly infested with the doppelgangers. The reality of this now settled on everyone and suddenly they fell into silence, glancing around at every rustle, moving shadow and bird call. Even Link seemed on edge despite this being as close to a home turf as he could get. The only one who was still totally calm was Nusstai, he hardly seemed to be looking around at all. Then again he was trained to spot threats and ignore distractions, he could tell what was dangerous or not with ease, he could even know if a rustle was made by something more or less humanoid and his trained eye could spot even camouflaged opponents and still he saw no danger. Clearly the enemy were either not here or had not yet taken to setting up ambushes, in which case it would only be a matter of time until they did. Though he knew the area around him was safe he did not share this knowledge with his colleagues, he was secretly smiling beneath his hood at the fact they were all jumping at shadows like paranoid wrecks and he kept on smiling right until the village drifted into view. Now it was Link's turn to do the smiling.


	10. Business before pleasure

Link was home again now, such a pity his home was so close to the action. Sankt considered it a small miracle that the village had not yet been attacked, quite possibly more a result of luck than judgement. Everything here was utterly unprepared for war, no real defences, no real guards just a sitting duck of a village. Perhaps that was why it had escaped the attention of the invaders because it was no threat. Sankt was still looking around when a light tap around the helmet from Nusstai attracted his attention and he followed the extended finger of the assassin which was pointing at the form of a rapidly approaching girl. She seemed a little over eager to get to them and had a broad smile upon her face. Link seemed to know who this child was and gently turned Epona to face her and take a few gentle steps forward. Sankt leant in towards Achim and whispered gently into his old friends ear.

"Do you have any idea who that is."

Achim for his part made no effort to disguise or quieten his words and said quite simply.

"I neither know nor care. I am here to do a job not exchange social pleasantries."

Ruld cast a stern look at Achim for saying that, clearly the vast bulk of muscle did not approve and said as much.

"What sort of a way is that to talk about young ladies?"

Achim snorted at this and waved a dismissive hand just as the girl reached the group, making a bee line for Link and perhaps more to the point Epona who certainly seemed glad of the young girls company, lowering he head as the young blonde rubbed the horses neck. Link, still smiling said to the young woman in a warm voice.

"How's the place been without me Ilia?"

The young girl seemed to chuckle but did not cease petting Epona whilst she said.

"Well, one day without you and the ranch falls apart but more importantly how wave you been looking after Epona here?"

Link now patted his horse for himself smiling still and saying in the same voice.

"You I have been looking out for her, but she could do with a food bag, so could these horses as well."

Link added whilst gesturing behind him towards the three other horses at his rear, Ilia's eye was instantly drawn to Urko and she walked closer to the great white horse who slowly turned his head to look at the girl, a menacing look in his eyes. Achim smiled as she extended a hand, Sankt meanwhile gave a gentle caution.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, he doesn't like other people."

Ilia however, pressed on regardless, confident in her ability to bond with such creatures but when her hand drew too close the horse flared his nostrils and took an aggressive step forward. This cause Ilia to recoil instinctively and Sankt to lean down and rub his own horses neck in a bid to calm the animal as much as possible whilst he said to Ilia.

"I am sorry but I warned you. Perhaps Urko will grow used to you in time, but I fear we have little opportunity for that, fetch the nose bags and summon to us the local leader so as that I may question him."

Ruld glanced at Sankt as if to protest at his mode of conduct but said nothing, it was not half as bad as the tone Achim would have most likely adapted. Nusstai meanwhile and lightly jumped down from his mare and had spied a near by tree, a particularly tall one and he ran straight at it, it looked as though he were about to slam headlong into the trunk but moments before impact he suddenly bounced up and began climbing the tree like a monkey. Bounding from branch to branch as if he belonged there. Quickly he disappeared amongst the leaves and then everything went very still up in the top of the tree. Nusstai was scanning the surrounding area, looking for anything out of the ordinary, a stone circle, a temple, a pit anything that should not have been there. Having spotted nothing on the first sweep he looked again and still spotted nothing. The team knew he was totally safe up there and so decided to move on.

Link sighed and shook his head at Sankt, beckoning him to follow whilst saying to Ilia.

"Forget about Bo, you just look after the horses I will take them to Bo."

The name Bo produced another snort of derision from Achim but before anyone else could protest Sankt beat them all to it saying in an odd mixture of kindness and firmness.

"Now then Achim, you can't go laughing at people for their names. It's just a cultural differences that is all. Besides if you laugh at Bo why not Sankt? I am less than a syllable from Zant and no one has pointed that out, why? Because it is utterly unreasonable. Oh and don't even start on the whole idea of total respect for other cultures being a bad idea line. It is a defunct argument, question their practices, moral values and way of life yes but their names for things?"

Unusually Achim had no come back just a shake of the hand and a hand flicked forward to motion the group on causing Sankt to smile beneath his helmet, satisfied with this small victory no more was said about it and the group pressed on. Eventually they reached Bo's hut but alas Ruld was unable to fit through the door, at least not without knocking away some of the supports so he was forced to stand outside and keep watch. Though in actuality he entertained those people that gathered around him, mainly children who were drawn towards him because of his fascinatingly large size and he spent the next few minutes generally cavorting with the younglings and chasing them around still wielding his highly dangerous halberd.

This left Sankt, Achim and Link facing Bo who was near instantly gladdened to see Link return so soon, they had after all expected him to be gone for some long time. Reaching into a cupboard Bo pulled out a bottle of milk, removed the cork and handed the whole thing to Link declaring.

"Well, I am surprised to see you back so soon. But it's good to have you here, the whole place feels safer for it. But I see you have brought two new arrivals to the village. And two rum coves they are two."

As seemed to be the trend Bo's eyes were drawn to the blood soaked apron of Achim with a wide array of savage tools that could easily be confused for butcher and wood work equipment, which in one or two cases was accurate. Achim was rapidly getting tired of this and felt like sawing a limb off just to show who he was, in the city people just thought you were a butcher but the same did not seem to work here. So instead he merely glared from beneath his white headdress and was about to speak when Sankt flung up a mailed hand to silence him and cut across saying in the peculiar metal echo the helmet produced.

"Your worship the mayor. We would like for nothing more than to stay here in your village for awhile but this is not a long stay, merely a stop for a few minutes to ask you some questions. Simply put have you noticed any odd military activity in these parts? Patrols where there were no patrols before? Or can you remember any stories of an entrance to some sort of other world in these parts?"

Bo looked confused for awhile and glanced about him muttering.

"I.. I am afraid I do not understand I..why.."

But he was cut short by Sankt once again who was eager to get to the point.

"Understanding is not a prerequisite of compliance, just answer the question we have precious little time."

Bo was most defiantly on the spot now, of all the people in this dirt patch of a village he should know the answer to these questions. After much careful consideration he finally ventured.

"Well, as far as portals is concerned look for a very large tree, very large with a holding the base where it falls seemingly forever. According to old legends of one of the previous hero's of time that is the case anyway, the tree should still stand somewhere to the east. Some say the tree was alive as well like the old Great Deku tree of myth. But I think that's all just a load of rubbish. As for the soldiers. Well we do sometimes hear something akin to marching feet to the east but it could be near any wild creature."

Sankt nodded slightly before saying shortly.

"So all signs point within earshot east, and a very large hollow tree with possible human like characteristics. Thank you."

With that Sankt turned on his heel and marched out of Bo's hut, having no interest whatsoever in small talk. Achim was right behind him as Link glanced around still slightly baffled by the pace at which events were moving. Eventually however, he got a hold of himself and pausing only to swig the milk left in front of him Link followed the others. When he emerged he found a somewhat sullen Ruld being forced to stop playing with the children, three of whom were currently latched securely to his back like limpet mines. When these little pesks were finally gently shaken from Ruld's back, or in one case prized with a stick, the group rallied beneath the tree Nusstai was last seen in. They all knew looking for the man was a complete waste and so the group slouched down in the shade, awaiting their horses return complete with nose bags. As ever Link was the one to break the silence as he complained with a mop of the brow and tired eyes.

"Goddesses this heat is getting a bit much, it is unseasonably hot."

Ruld being the big man that he was, was not having that much of a better time of it, the heat was effecting him as well and playing with the children had only served to tire him. Achim and Sankt however, were still seemingly unaffected and Achim said as much.

"I don't know what you are all complaining about, it's a pretty normal day. Still I suppose I do come from the desert."

The voice of Nusstai then drifted down from the leafy tree above, his body still obscured as he said.

"Hum, well there is that mystery solved. Now if you four have finished sitting about perhaps you could help me. I can see no structures of any significance at all up here not one ruin!"

Rather than try to find the disembodied voice of Nusstai up in the tree Sankt simply tilted his armoured head back and called up.

"We aren't looking for a structure, we are looking for a large possibly hollow tree. Maybe with human like characteristics"

It was at this point that a small pebble came sailing down from the foliage only to land square on the armoured helm of Sankt producing a sharp pang but creating no other effect other than a mildly annoyed Sankt, the pebble was shortly followed by.

"That really is not much help you know."

Sankt groaned and called up in reply.

"Some nights marching feet can be heard coming from the east."

Another pebble sailed down from no where and ricocheted harmlessly off of his helmet an into the brush, oddly enough this caused Sankt to chuckle and curl up into a ball still chuckling shortly before calling up.

"As punishment for that you have to stay on guard duty in that tree all night until you hear the feet."

There was a short series of malcontent mumblings from somewhere above which drifted readily into silence. The four at the bottom of the tree were now all just sitting there and when Ilia eventually delivered their horses all fed and watered Sankt gestured for them to be tied to the tree as well where they could rest up and more importantly be on call should any developments arise. Ilia however, forgot about Urko's temperament and tied him close to the other horses. This simply resulted in a huge amount of brooding from the animal as it steadfastly refused to go to sleep and spent the entire time staring with near pathological intensity at Epona, or with as much pathological intensity as a horse can muster. The others however, all drifted off with ease including the humans in the group. Link lying on his side, Sankt curled up in a ball between two roots of the tree. Ruld spread out like a starfish on the ground and Achim propped up against the tree hands folded across his stomach.

Only Nusstai was still awake and he was less than happy about it. He tried to find a brighter side to things but for him the brighter side usually involved killing something and now he was just sitting here, perched in the crook between branch and trunk, one leg hanging idly down, gently swaying back and fourth as he found ways to kill time. The moon was full tonight and so he tried counting the craters on its pock marked surface. A task that not only proved mind numbingly dull but also counter productive as, much like counting sheep, the whole process sent him slowly off to sleep. Starting himself awake he instead reflected on the state the world was in today, he had gotten about as far as homes broken by the Zant incident and the pain associated when even he decided this was to depressing and thus he simply ended up staring at the moon mindlessly , entering an almost trance like state of mind now and it took a far off sound to kick him out of it, to the east.. was that? Yes feet, a small patrol no more than six men. Easy pickings and precisely what the group needed. Now fresh out of rocks he ripped off a near by branch and threw it down at Sankt, hitting the man square in the torso startling the sleeping man awake and making him give a loud huff. Almost at once Nusstai hissed silence down at Sankt before whispering.

"Wake the others and ready the horses. We've got the little swine."

Then a tiny little sinister chuckle could be heard coming from Nusstai as he relished the thought of the upcoming kill, this would pull him out of the blues, nothing made you feel so alive as taking another life!


	11. Arrival

Soon the group were mounted and ready to go, all save Ruld who was merely standing and ready to go. Urko was still staring daggers at Epona for some strange reason and as a result of this the usually calm and well mannered horse was getting a tad shifty and uncertain, stepping from side to side and not establishing eye contact. Sankt put a stop to this as he gently pressed on the side of Urko's head in a signal for him to stop unsettling Epona. Nusstai was now down from the tree as well and sitting astride his brown mare, his white cloak falling equally on either side of the creature. In one hand he held his bow and was griping the reigns only with his left. Since Nusstai was the most stealthy of the group and the best tracker he was the one who went at the head of the group, riding about fifteen meters ahead of everyone else. In order for them not to startle the patrol they were stalking the group moved at a walk through the dark moonlit woods and remained in total silence. As well as listen with a keen ear Nusstai was also looking around him in case he had accidentally gotten closer than expected. Every silver shrub and deep shadow was probed with searching eyes. A gentle breezed moved through the trees creating an oddly beautiful rustle that seems only possible at night time. The hoot of a near by owl filled the near silent night which was shortly accompanied by a voice clearly used to authority. It was far off, slightly distorted by moving through the trees and shrubs but still the words could be made out, it seemed to say.

"All right boys. We'll rest here tonight, push to the plains tomorrow and find out what these scum are up to."

Just who the said scum were was unclear but Sankt made the educated guess that it was the dwellers of this realm in general. More perplexing why were they scum? What had the people of this world done that was so awful as to provoke these actions? Whatever the answer it would be an important one no doubt about that. Nusstai remained dead still, allowing the rest of the group to catch up with him. Leaning in he whispered to them, as loud as he dared.

"The group is a little way up ahead, setting up camp for the night but they are being smart, no camp fire to alert the locals to their presence. I have no way to be certain how many of them there are but less than ten I would think but more than five. So it is a small patrol, recognisance for a much larger force would be my guess. But that force is still in the world where these doppelgangers come from."

Sankt gave a brief nod and turned to glance at link for a moment before whispering to the group as a whole.

"Allright, Nusstai dismounts and goes ahead into the foliage, he sneaks up on the group and waits for us four to attack. We charge in, kill what we can kill. As soon as we strike Nusstai grabs a prisoner in the distraction and pulls him off to a safe place, that way we attackers do not have to worry about sparing anyone. Sound like a plan?"

Rather than talk unnecessarily the group all nodded their agreement.

Nusstai lightly vaulting off of his horse landed upon the leafy ground without even a sound. Slinging his bow now across his back once more he seemed to bend almost double and scuttle off of the road and into the foliage. Every step was careful and cautious, sneaking in a city you had open spaces to deal with and here that was not so much of an issue but sound was far more likely to give him away. Accidentally rustling a bush to loud, startling an animal or the classic breaking of a twig could all give him away. If he saw anything even vaguely likely to make a noise he brushed it away carefully before continuing forward. Though the order had been given the usual chit chat of the camp had now begun. None of it was important though it merely served to guide Nusstai forward. The talk was largely of the woods they were in and how much the soldiers were looking forward to the war being one and being able to see friends and family again. One in particular babbled on and on about his newborn son and it was this voice in particular that Nusstai moved towards. Partly because it was the easiest to track but also out of a twisted sense of fun. It would be amusing to hear him beg for his life latter and use his family as an excuse for him to be spared. By the time Nusstai was in position, mere inches now from his victim, concealed behind a rock with a bush half grown over it almost ten minuites had passed and it was now that the others would act.

Nusstai's horse had been tied firmly to a tree to prevent it bolting or simply wandering off and Ruld had been left to guard it. Since the massive man was on foot he would be unable to keep up with the galloping attack that was about to ensue. Sankt, Link and Achim now set off at a walk upon their horses along the dusty dirt track, atemptin gto keep the element of surprise by waiting until the last possible moment to break into a full charge. In readiness Sankt and drawn his hand and a half sword and made sure the long strap was now tied to his wrist to prevent any accidents. One the other hand was of course his shield and it was this hand he used as well to grip the reigns of Urko. Link too had drawn sword and shield and was just behind Sankt. Achim meanwhile had only drawn his one scimitar and was at the very rear of the group, after all he had no shield and it would be a great misfortune if he was slain by an arrow as he charged. With weapons drawn and eyes sharp the group slowly rounded a corner and there, about thirty meters before them, lay the enemy camp. At once Sankt broke into a charge, shield placed protectively before him and sword held back and high ready for a massively powerful downward cut. Sankt saw that there were seven soldiers including their leader, six once Nusstai grabbed a man. Almost at once an arrow was loosed at the streaking form of the white cavalryman which thunked heavily into his shield but did not dig in due to the outer layer of steel, a rare feature in current shields, all it did was tear a small hole in the white fabric cover.

Now combat had been joined Nusstai instantly leapt forward, both arms out streatched and wrapped them around his target before dragging him into the foliage and running away from the combat so as that the prisoner could not be rescued. He took him away from the sounds of fighting back to Ruld and the horse where upon he forced the guard face down into the dusty road and essentially sat on him, pinning back the man's arms waiting for the battle to be over and the horsemen to return. Sankt, meanwhile, was now all but on top of the somewhat more elaborately dressed officer. He had the exact same clothing as his subordinates, only the colour of the clothes under the armour was a deep red and he wore the same colour plume in his visored helmet. This man was clutching a spear, possibly the most effective weapon against horsemen but only when used in coherent formations. As it was one lone spearman was not going to be of much use but he tried none the less. The officer thrust the spear upwards attempting to puncture the lower right stomach of Sankt. However, our white clad here merely deftly flicked the head of the spear off of its shaft with a tiny rotation of his sword as he brought it down. Then weapon still lowered he kept riding forward hard. Rather than aim for his enemies neck the blade instead careered into the officers chest like a hammer. The sheer terrible force made the blade career through the low quality plate and dig into the man's chest. Were this not a battle the crunch of bone would be audible as the blade fractured the ribcage like a glass window. Still Sankt was moving forward and now lifted the doomed officer off of his feet, moving with Sankt and thus forced Sankt to shake the man off of his weapon where upon the officer tumbled from the blade and lay face up upon the ground. The first casualty of the engagement lay there, staring up at the sky, his chest laid open like a small explosion had occurred bellow his sternum. The mess below made identifying organs impossible but it also made death quite slow, it took twenty seconds of sheer mind bending agony for this man to die with only shock preventing him from screaming out loud, his body no longer even able to properly convulse. Sankt was of course still riding hard and completely passed by one man who was still struggling to his feet upon his shield side. The third man he encountered was also unprepared and had only just gotten upright and currently trying to get a proper grip upon his great sword. Now on their own great swords were problematic for cavalry, there users were still quite mobile and they were excellent for chopping the legs off of horses. Fortunately however, as has been said this one was not yet ready and Sankt rode past him unimpeded. Just as he galloped by the warrior he swiftly cut down and a long way back with his hand and a half sword, cutting into the length of his opponent's spine laying it open horribly in a mess of blood, bone and spinal cord. Even if this did not kill it would most certainly paralyse. However, to the victims good fortune the kill this time around was near enough instant, dead even before he hit the floor, blood gushing forth from his back.

Link was next into the fray and was lucky enough to encounter opponents who were still staring dumbfounded at Sankt. Riding hard upon Epona he was laid almost flat upon his horse, shield tucked high to protect his face and upper body, his profile as low as possible and sword stretched out almost horizontally in surprisingly cavalier style. Here it plunged right into the neck of the guard Sankt had passed by on his shield side but because the sword was not the width of the neck it did not sever the head. Now Link quickly turned his sword downward and twisted meaning the body fell easily to the ground and Link withdrew his sword with almost no effort or difficulty whatsoever resulting in a clean swift kill rather than the sheer brutality of Sankt's attacks. However, this now meant that his sword was positioned very low, near vertically in fact and may as well have been touching the ground therefore leaving his arm exposed. This was an opportunity an axe man charging towards Link took and was making a clean and powerful sweep at the arm. If contact was made Link was going to loose a limb and as it was Link was unable to stop it. Fortunately for him however, someone else was. This man was Achim who although he was moving forward was doing so at a canter not a gallop and so was some way behind the rest of the group. He had assigned himself the role of support, with his magical ability if anything happened he was going to bail his more intrepid colleagues out and he did this beautifully. Simply levelling a finger at the foe he let off an invisible wave of magic, Link would feel a cold rush of air practically slam past his arm but the Axe man flew backwards around about two meters before his chest promptly exploded. It did not collapse, disintegrate or anything akin to that. It simply exploded in a hail of flesh, bone and blood, each so drenched in the other it was hard to tell what was what. The half corpse continued to fly backwards and eventually landed close to the still charging Sankt.

Sankt, still well ahead of the others astride Urko was reaching the back end of the now fully alerted patrol, a patrol with only two remaining fighters. This duo had wisely bunched together for greater protection from the white clad mad man bearing down upon them but that was not going to stop Sankt. Narrowing his eyes beneath his helmet he had to judge his positioning just right before urging his steed onwards flaring his nostrils like hells ventilation system. The guards had knelt down by now and locked shields but both were equipped with swords. Urko simply jumped over the pair in complete safety and when he landed kicked out his back legs like a mule slamming with huge force into the back of one soldier's head smashing it like a watermelon. Sankt meanwhile turned in his saddle and flung his large hand and a half sword into the unsuspecting back of the last remaining opponent who shot up like a jack in the box giving a sharp whisper of a scream as his eyes shot open wider than they were designed to go before slowly sinking to his knees, but not yet dead. However, a sharp tug from Sankt and the floodgates were open and the stuff of life flowed from him like a colander as he fell face down into the dirt and bleed out.

Battle now having been done Sankt pulled a rag from his saddle bag and wiped his blade clean of blood so it would not stick before replacing the sword in its scabbard and riding over to Link. Achim to rode up to Link and the trio looked at one another, a smile evident on Achim's face but Link was the first one to speak saying.

"Thank you back there. I would have lost an arm were it not for you."

Achim for his part waved a dismissive hand and said casually.

"Oh forget it, save your thanks for when I do something really important. Besides what are comrades in arms supposed to do? Now come on we had best be heading back to Ruld and Nusstai, see what we can learn."

So with no further ado the group met back up with the man mountain and the assassin who was still perched firmly atop their prisoner. Sankt was the first off his horse and as soon as he hit to ground gestured for Nusstai to hold the man up. Urko stood obediently still as Sankt began pacing menacingly towards the hapless prisoner and drew back a mailed fist before driving it had into the jaw of the prisoner. At this point he was asking no questions just hitting. A second blow sailed in at the mans left eye whilst the third was a knee to the groin making the prisoner gasp and do the best possible job of crossing his legs whilst his eyes watered. Sankt decided three blows were enough to get thins started and so asked in a hissing voice made all the more sinister for the metallic echo of the helmet.

"Where is the portal you come through? Tell me where is it?"

The only answer Sankt got was a snort and a spit of mixed water and blood from the prisoner followed by the words.

"You won't get anything out of me jailer!"

This provoked another blow to the jaw from Sankt as well as two upward thrusting thumps to the floating rib, the part of a body a boxer aims for. That was just for refusing to answer the question, for the poorly aimed insult Sankt broke his nose with one balled up fist and used the other to punch out two of the prisoner's teeth, his mouth now oozing blood and the blow to the eye beginning to turn black already. Further more he gestured for Nusstai to make sure the man was rigid before stamping down hard upon the prisoners knee, breaking the leg with the sound of snapping wood, well snapping wood with a sharp scream from the prisoner. Once again Sankt asked sharply.

"Where is the entrance?"

The soldier was not so forceful in his defiance now, instead he simply said nothing, his head hanging down low and breathing heavily. Nusstai was slightly disappointed. He had been hoping for a man begging for him and his family but it seemed his family was of secondary importance to this man, second to victory. He admired that but it also unnerved him slightly. Judging by the prisoners actions and words this enemy was imbued with well channelled hate, a truly dangerous adversary.

Link and Achim for there parts were wondering about the use of the word jailer but Sankt as ever was staying on task. Concerned only with the portals location. Placing one hand behind his opponents head he held it still whilst with the other he formed an armoured fist once more and resumed the pummelling. Three more blows fell now square to the face finishing the transformation into bloody mess. Next he broke the prisoners other leg producing another wail of pain from the man which filled the night sky. The prisoner cracked now but it seemed more out of a will to kill Sankt and his allies than anything else.

"Go on then. It's just down the road. The tallest tree here, we marked it by burning a patch of ground in front of the entrance. Go then, enter the tree and head to your deaths."

The man then seemed to laugh, a laugh obscured by blood and frailty but a spine chilling one none the less. Sankt flicked his wrist in signal to Nusstai and suddenly the prisoners neck was snapped. Link protested at once, saying in a voice that was both shocked and appalled.

"No! You didn't have to do that. He could have been taken to the village, watched perhaps imprisoned but he could have been spared."

Sankt snorted and mounted Urko, he was clearly dismissing Link's idea and said as much.

"If we had taken him to the village we would have been leaving a potentially violent man in a peaceful and defenceless town and if we had taken him back to town ourselves we would have been wasting valuable time. Who knows when the next strike will come? Killing him was the best option. Now we ride to our objective."

At once Sankt turned Urko around and began heading down the road not even waiting for Link's response. Nusstai mounted his horse and came up quickly behind followed by Ruld and Achim. Link just remained in place, staring at the abandoned corpse left for the wildlife to take care of and not even buried. He would have done so himself by he had to fall in with the rest of the group to keep up and to keep an eye on them. Especially Sankt. With Link finally in place they reached the tree quickly and saw the burnt patch of grass in front of the large hollow. Large enough for horse and rider to pass though with ease. This they all did one by one only to be confronted with a bewildering experience. Horse and rider suddenly seemed to fall, fall through a seemingly endless blackness littered with strange, haunting visions. Warped faces of many colours streaked by, a clock could be heard ticking, the wind wisped past their bodies as they continued to plummet at ever faster speeds down down, ever down. Then suddenly it was over, rather than hit the ground hard they seemed to just materialise at the stand. All of them unhurt. No one was concust or even had a light headache. They had all been expecting to arrive in a wood or perhaps inside another tree. Instead they were confronted with stone and wood work. A waterwheel turned noisily behind them driving simply huge wooden cogs. There was a door to the outside world a short flight of steps above them but then a rickety ladder stretched up further, much further. Sankt dismounted gingerly and headed towards this ladder, gesturing fern the others to remain where they were. Even more hesitantly he began to climb, the wood straining under his weight but eventually he reached the top of whatever structure he was on and was able to peek out of a tiny stone slit to see the outside world and he gasped at what lay before him and said quietly.

"Uh oh."


	12. A new discovery

From his advantageous view point Sankt could see that the group had not materialised inside a forest as may well have been expected or indeed in the country but rather they were in some central structure of a major settlement. He could also see beyond the town lay a stretch of wide grass not unlike Hyrule field and from his current position he could also make out a wood stretching as far as the eye could see that lay beyond the plain. Of course from his hidey hole he was unable to see all around but what was currently visible was certainly enough to start with. It certainly meant trouble for the team. Sankt narrowed his eyes beneath his helmet before sliding down the ladder and turning to the group. With one hand he gestured to the door saying.

"Through there lies a whole city bustling with people. If we charge out we will be quickly slaughtered. We need to sneak out somehow, Nusstai any ideas?"

The white hooded cutthroat stood in silence for some time, arms folded across his chest in thought before a ridiculously obvious idea hit him and he said casually.

"Why don't we just walk out of here. Logically there should be copies of all of us as well. Just don't talk to people and pray we don't meet ourselves."

The group looked from one man to another as if to ask whether or not anyone had a better idea. Silence passed from man to man and so Sankt hesitantly mounted his horse and gently guided the best to the doors that lay just in front of him. These doors swung open as if by magic to reveal a peculiar parody of the main market square in Hyrule castle town. Traders were busy selling their wares and people bustling back and fourth were busy buying them. Guards strode around with the same inflated sense of self importance and near enough everyone was also dressed in a similar fashion to back in Hyrule. It really was disconcerting to see this. The only real difference was the architecture and layout. Here there were more steps leading upwards and downwards off of a sprawling, irregularly shaped main plaza. These steps in turn led to many narrow winding streets crawling up and down hill and each little side track seemed to lead to a delightful little small corner of town. The buildings themselves were lower and made largely out of stone rather than wood. Flat roofs seemed to be the trend here and people were keener to paint elaborate designs in bright colours upon the sides of their houses. They were largely swirling designs in circular patterns often with an abstract portrayal of some sort of bird. Only now when they were out of the building was Sankt able to look over his shoulder and cast his eyes up at the central structure which was a huge looming clock tower, odd symbols painted all over it and a brightly coloured face in the same shades as the patterns on near by walls only instead of birds this design featured sun, moon and stars. The clock was elaborate in function as well as appearance, telling time, day month and cataloguing the passage of the most obvious stars in the night sky.

But as wonderful and attention grabbing as the clock was it was not quite as attention grabbing as the next all be it minor event was. The group were managing to proceed quite nicely along but were making a bee line towards the nearest gate. The duo of guards on duty both snapped smartly to attention and saluted Sankt before relaxing a bit and saying in a friendly tone.

"Ahh hell sir, I see you have a new recruit for the team there. Well I wish him the best of luck."

The guard gestured to Link as he said this before standing aside and allowing the group to pass. The five of them passed the guards as casually as they dared and exited the city. Soon they were out upon the rolling plane, the lush grass bellow them swaying slightly in the cool refreshing breeze. A welcome change to the sweltering heat of home but the pleasant climate was the least of their worries. Once clear of clock town Sankt turned to the rest of the group and announced.

"Well it looks like our doubles here are important, all accept you Link. He did not recognise you at all. But that is the least of our problems. We need to find some isolated place and set up base. Then we can start working out what on earth is going on as well as finding a way to distinguish ourselves from our doubles to prevent confusion."

Achim waved a slightly dismissive hand at this and shook his head saying.

"The confusion is keeping us alive for the moment. What we need to do is set up camp and exploit our ability to blend in to find out what is driving the population to attack as."

Nusstai gave a short nod of the head before adding.

"Yes, and we need to find out how to convert the population to our cause, we need an army and if we can deplete the enemies numbers at the same time the act will be all the more damaging."

There was a slight murmur of agreement from everyone accept Link who was rapidly beginning to question the moral fibre of his so called comrades. The idealistic young man protested with.

"War? Armies? You people sound like you are willing to destroy this realm. Surely there is a better way to do this?"

Achim laughed now, long since given up on the idea of persuading Link to his way of thinking and instead just bossing the spineless hero around.

"We are willing to destroy this realm if it makes the homeland safe and so should you. Or are you not as loyal to Hyrule as you claim. As for better ways to do it when you find a solution tell us. Oh and Link do not be so quick to judge. You slaughtered your way through Zant's minions. They were people to, just warped people and you slaughtered them. You're the same as us."

Achim now turned away from Link, a slight air of contempt visible across his features which swiftly turned to a combination of pleasure and intrigue as he turned to Sankt who simply said.

"I sense it too. Come we ride east."

Achim and Sankt did not explain what they sensed but the rest of the group could do nothing but follow along after the pair. The group was still moving at a walk because Ruld still had no mount. But that did not bother the others who were content to ride slowly east, enjoying the cool refreshing breeze upon their skin. All of course but Sankt who as locked firmly away behind his armour but he considered the discomfort a small sacrifice when paired off against the protection it offered. Link in particular was enjoying the climate. He was glancing around and enjoying the wildlife here as well, large resplendent birds flapped around high in the sky. They looked ominous and perhaps even a tad sinister but currently they were being harmless enough. The air was now slowly getting dryer and the grass was becoming a lighter shade of green and eventually a dirty brown. It was also appearing less and less often until eventually it was only appearing in tiny tufts and patches. Caught almost unawares the group was suddenly in a rocky canyon, dirty dusty rock surrounded them and the only trace of moisture was a small stream running to their right and further to the right was what looked like the ruined remains of some sort of ancient temple and up ahead was, well desert. Endless desert, or so it seemed. Link turned to Sankt and said in a slightly surprised tone of voice.

"You senses this temple? The ancient power perhaps? I am impressed."

This provoked a slight chuckle from Achim and a shake of the head from Sankt who explained.

"No no, we are not so intone with the weave of magic to do that, no one is. No Achim and I sensed the desert. We are desert people after all and in unfamiliar circumstances you must go with what you know. Fortunately this here temple looks like an excellent place to set up an initial camp. After all the place appears utterly deserted."

He gestured to a long abandoned tumble down house, more a heap than a home, that lay close to the river on the far side to the temple. Odd remnants of scientific equipment jutted out of it and Achim was drawn like a moth to a flame. Dismounting his gelding when he reached the neglected heap he began to carefully sift through the remains trying to find something useful, tossing away the broke parts and gently placing to the side anything even vaguely intact. Sankt jerked a thumb towards his companion and said.

"He might be some time, he will likely do a through search. We should move inside the temple and see where inside the structure we can set up camp."

Sankt, Link and Nusstai all dismounted their horses and tied them to the remnants of a supporting pillar for a roof that was no longer there. The pillar had strange angular designs upon them that seemed to change course with no real warning or reason put if you strained the eyes hard enough and the mind was willing a familiar pattern would become evident. Odd since no one in the group had ever seen the design before. The party however, did not get far before encountering a huge stone door, fallen off of its hinges that was blocking their path. None could see a way to defeat this obstacle, none of course but Ruld who simply bumbled up to the obstacle and knocked it aside after five heavy blows with his bare hands. The door was not broken, not even Ruld could manage that but he had beaten it flat allowing the others to pass with ease.

Inside the situation was less than comforting, inside things were as you would expect from a long abandoned temple, dust thick everywhere, sand on the floor, religious objects scattered whilly nhilly and that odd alkaline smell only truly old places can muster. There were however two major acceptations. Firstly there were burning torches along the wall, torches that seemed never to burn out and secondly there were several skeletal corpses upon the ground. Almost instinctively Sankt set about severing the dead heads and piling them separately in the corner of the room explaining.

"In an ancient place like this the dead can walk, by separating head from body we prevent that from happening. Oh and ignore the torches, they burn magically but they are no harm to anyone. But they are a sign of something greater. All magic fades in time without being re-supplied. These torches must be feeding of something bigger, something close at hand. We should act with caution until we uncover what that thing is. Until then we need to split up. Nusstai, you try searching for any kind of useful knowledge, power or equipment. Ruld, you guard the entrance, Link you find a place for us all to bed down and I will look for whatever is feeding this place."

With that the group separated and Sankt began to head deep into the temple, heading downwards, pulled by some strange unidentifiable force. But it was not a sinister one, nor was it overwhelming. Perhaps the best way to describe it was as the lure of a warm fireside. A familiarity and security that only home can bring, but why was home here? Why was familiarity being found in this foreign land. True they were on the edge of the desert but an unfamiliar desert and where Sankt was from there were no temples, only the arbiters grounds and they were far from a temple or sacred ground. Yet despite this he kept on heading down until at last he reached a large set of thick stone double doors. Here too there was an angular pattern which almost seemed to bleed into the walls and continue on, almost. It was plain to tell that in this place of magic and half light that a lack of caution and alertness could easily make you believe in the tricks of the light which littered this peculiar place.

There were tool marks chipped around the edge of this door, burn marks as well and traces of destructive magic still echoed in the air. Clearly many people over many years had attempted to gain entry here and clearly they had all failed. Slowly Sankt extended a hand and lightly touched the stone surface and suddenly it hummed into life. The peculiar angular markings began to glow an ominous green but felt pleasant to the touch, not exactly warm but comforting. Why had the door reacted to Sankt and not the many people who had tried in the past? There was a heavy clunk then and the doors seemed to slide aside of their own free will, operating on an ancient runner system. Whoever had made this place hade made it to last that much was certain. With the doors now open Sankt could see into what appeared to be infinite blackness. He could not see his hand in front of his face in that place and so instead reached back behind him and grabbed an ever burning torch and used that to light his way. In the darkness the best the flame could muster was an odd half light but it would have to be enough. Now Sankt could see a dusty spiral staircase bellow him but he could also tell this staircase was carved out of the sheer rock. The building had now ended and bellow him lay a vertical shaft deep into the rock itself, or so it would seem. He began to hesitantly descend the slippery spiral staircase, covered in condensation and ancient slime he almost lost his footing more than once but kept going downwards ever downwards towards this strange homely feel, almost as much home as the desert was.

The half light made judging just how far down he had come difficult but to Sankt's surprise he was swiftly at the bottom, or was time slightly distorted here? Who knew? Sankt knew one thing however, he knew that what he now saw demanded the attention of Achim, he knew how important it was and he knew what it was. Almost dropping his torch he streaked out and up the stairs. Out of the door he mysteriously activated that slammed shut behind him as he left and out of the temple. Once out in the open air he saw Achim, still rummaging through the burnt out remains of the house who only paused to turn round and look in a mystified fashion at the rapidly approaching form of Sankt.

"Achim, come quick, gather up your equipment and come. You are not going to believe this."

Panted a clearly excited Sankt, just as Sankt had absolute believe, trust and faith in Achim so did Achim in Sankt and thus did not question the significance of the find, instead he merely bundled up his recent finds under his arms and ran after Sankt who lead the way back to the door which he once again activated with a casual touch of the hand before picking up the ever flaming torch and bounding down the stairs, ignoring their slippery qualities and just streaking down almost asking to have his neck broken. But more by luck than judgement the pair arrived safely at the bottom and began to chuckle, Achim rubbing his hands together now in eager anticipation and setting down his scientific equipment. What lay before them was a marvellous discovery, one that would ad a whole new layer of delightful complexity to the already twisted tale.


	13. Too beautiful for words

Achim advanced slowly upon the discovery and stretched out a hand, it was electric to the touch as if it possessed some sort of static charge. But as electric as it seemed it was also icy cold and possessed the unseen depths of still waters. This device was meant to be awash with power, flowing, circling but now it was still. The power was there to move but it was being interrupted. Achim ran his fingers along the surface once again, paying more attention before his finger ran over an imperfection, several in fact. Tiny little hairline cracks that crisscrossed the surface like a spiders web. Carefully, as if not wanting his very speech to harm the thing any further he said.

"Someone tried to destroy this, they knew what they were doing as well but they did not put enough power into it. As a result of which this thing is laced with tiny cracks. We have to be careful, knock her in the wrong place and it will splinter."

Sankt moved closer as well now though he dared not touch the device, especially after Achim had said how fragile it was. Instead he simply turned to face his old friend and said in a slightly demanding voice.

"Can it be fixed?"

There was a slight snort from Achim who turned round to face Sankt with a broad, slightly insane smile.

"Of course I can, I'm a genius. Now run along and leave me to my work, also make sure Link never has an inkling this thing exists. I don't want him getting all excited just yet."

Sankt gave a brief nod before bounding upstairs and out of the darkened chamber, sealing it behind him, leaving Achim alone with the mirror.

Nusstai's search of the temple had proven fruitless and so instead he now waited in the main chamber with Link who had managed to successfully locate a small, intact side chamber that would suffice for sleeping quarters for now. Ruld meanwhile was still faithfully guarding the door but all three of these people would soon be caught up in Sankt's wake as he rounded a corner and paced into the main chamber with an almost tangible sense of purpose and drive. Silently he surged past Nusstai and Link, gesturing for them to follow with a slight flick of the hand. Ruld obediently stepped aside and allowed Sankt and the others into the baking desert air before he too obediently fell into step. Sankt was still moving forward, past the tethered horses and then up the shattered remains of a tower, a half complete spiral staircase providing the only means of ascent. The semi sound structure creaked and strained under Ruld's weight but eventually all four reached the top. Sankt's dirty white robes blew and whipped in the wind as he looked over the land with an invisible smile beneath his helmet. From here he could see all four corners of the realm as well as the central settlement and even a large ranch tucked away in a corner. He gestured across it with a wide sweeping gesture before saying.

"Take a good long look gentlemen. Now we begin to work against this world in earnest. Nusstai will be central to our early endeavours. You may brave colleague, will infiltrate the city and ascertain just what has driven them to this madness. Also you will find out what sections of society are not convinced by whatever it is that drives the others and report back the information to me. We will then create a plan for converting them to our cause. Ruld, your impressive physical attributes will serve us well when the inevitable war descends upon us but until then you will remain here at our sanctuary and safe guard it. Link you will run recovery for us as and when necessary. By that I mean if there are any artefacts that need reclaiming you will be the one to do it. You by far have the most experience in single-handedly penetrating ancient places and have the equipment to do it. Achim meanwhile will continue with research and development. I also belive he will be the one to come up with the conversion plan. I meanwhile will fill any holes or needs that arise as well as coordinate our entire war effort. Do you all understand gentlemen?"

There was a general murmur of agreement and nodding of heads. Even Link seemed happy with the plan because at least now it did not involve slaughter or large scale bloodshed plus it might give him time to do what he does best and do it on his own away from this mad men in white. Nusstai was the next to speak who asked casually and with a slight wave of the hand.

"So when do we begin?"

Sankt turned round and lay an affectionate hand upon his comrades shoulder, ceasing it in a firm an encouraging manner.

"First light tomorrow my friend, for now catch your breath, eat well and sleep sound. We must be fresh for our endeavours."

He then gave a slight wave of the hand in an unspoken order for the others to all descend and leave him to his thoughts, this they all did obediently and disappeared into the main chamber of the temple to do whatever they had to do. Sankt meanwhile folded his arms and kept staring out across the land that lay before him. In his mind he envisaged all the different things that could happen to this world. It could remain more or less as it was, it could become a ghost realm or it could burn, every last inch of it engulfed in fire. Or most likely somewhere in-between.

Down below however, Achim was having fun. He felt a bit like a schoolboy for a few moments but this was swiftly replaced by an overwhelming sense of gravity, self importance, achievement and smugness as well as a few other sensations deep in his stomach that he had difficulty defining. No matter though he had a mirror to fix. Laying out his old tolls and newly scavenged ones upon the ground in a neat order he then took from this selection a tiny hammer and chisel and chiselled away a tiny fragment of the mirror, little more than a shaving and at once placed this in a small ceramic bowl. He then began to conduct various experiments upon this shaving, exposing it to various temperatures and chemicals in order to discern its properties and therefore work out just what it was made of. Once this had been done he quickly jotted down the formula and then began to pour through his equipment to find either it or a way of making it. Eventually he ended up with a large beaker he had suspended over a magical flame, pouring slowly into this beaker simultaneously were three large vials of various coloured liquids which when combined and heated by a magic flame would form the charged nether crystal, or so Achim had decided to call it, needed to make the mirror. This would take a while and so now Achim set about doing an accurate sketch of the mirror, making very sure to get the intricate designs just right, doing dotted lines where he thought the design should continue over the cracks. Achim correctly guessed that it was this design that would channel and focus the magical energy needed to activate the mirror he had also correctly assumed that even a tiny discrepancy could have disastrous effects. He could for instance suck the entire twilight realm into this place causing this world to turn into one of shadow as well as have a peculiar dualistic world. Or more simply just cause both worlds to collapse in on themselves. But Achim was determined to press on, undeterred perhaps even encouraged by the thought of possible destruction. You see Achim, and to a lesser extent Sankt both suffered from what Sankt jokily termed big red button syndrome. This was a condition where if either of them saw something unexplained, forbidden or possibly disastrous with unknown effects, such as press a big foreboding unmarked red button they got the urge just to press it. This condition was only made worse by Achim's excitement and eager anticipation.

With his sketch of the mirror complete he turned to the substance he was brewing, it was by now complete and picking it up gingerly he poured the substance into the top of the highest crack. Quickly it began to run through all the tiny imperfections, sealing all the gaps and making the actual substance of the mirror complete, but the designs were still broken so picking up hammer and chisel again he slowly began to tap in the designs, filling in the gaps that ran over the cracks until at last the hideously complicated design was done. There was another stage to the process yet to be done but before then he darted quickly over to the formula and pocketed that with the design. With these two pieces of information he could make as many mirrors as he ever wanted. Now that the mirror was complete he had to unearth the focus point. The great block of obsidian black stone that would serve as the gate it self. He looked around to find nothing, he looked again and saw a tiny little triangular point of black sticking out of the thin layer of sand that lay upon the sheer granite floor. Dashing over to this he wiped away the sand to see that the focus point was deeply imbedded inside the rock it self but this would prove little obstacle to Achim, a man of magic and science, to whom petty things such as weight meant nothing. Of course he did not cease the rock with his bare hands and tear it out like some sort of superman. Instead he walked away and sat carefully upon the floor, tuning himself in to the world around him especially the rock. Slowly, in his minds eye he began to loosen the great black block, melt a tiny layer of granite that covered the huge stones surface and then guide the massive hulk up and out of the sand to float before the mirror. When Achim opened his eyes what he pictured in his mind was true in reality. Of course he could not hold the rock there forever and so swiftly piled rubble beneath it so the huge black stone slab could support itself. Now everything was in place, gently touching the mirror with a hesitant hand he could feel the once still power flow, twist and turn like a violent sea. Smiling to himself he began to twist the mirror around slowly to face the rock and then, contact. The ethereal white bean shone forth and with the slab. The glowing angular designs spread across the black surface and a deep, seemingly endless portal slowly opened up.

On the surface Sankt could feel Achim's success in his bones, why he could feel it was still a mystery just like the fact he could open the door when it seemed so many others failed. But explanation or not he was still going to head to the mirror chamber. Turning swiftly upon his heel he walked swiftly down the ruined tower stairs, not wanting to alert Link as to what was going on, and walked as swiftly as he dared towards the mirror chamber. Meanwhile down bellow Achim was smiling like a Cheshire cat and his eyes burned with the light of youth once again. Something was going to be coming through, he could feel it, sense the presence in the portal. Of course he was expecting Midna to come through but she did not. Not at first at least. Instead two other Twili came through, something Achim had not been expecting though it made sense. Miidna was going to need new attendants and perhaps she had been rebuilding the Twili race through some form of enchantment. The how and why were at the moment however, of little importance. The two people who stood before him were dressed suspiciously like Zant with long solid black robes and sleeves that stretched down well bellow the hands. The even had the peculiar oaken red semi tabard on their fronts. The only easily noticeable difference was the head gear. Rather than a helmet that covered shoulder, head and neck now only the head was covered and rather than a grotesque exaggeration of facial features in a similar style to an elephant with curled tusks instead the whole design was plainer and simply consisted of viewing slits for the eyes and breathing holes. Wordlessly the two figures approached Achim showing no real desire to speak to the man. Slowly each lifted up a hand and Achim knew they meant him ill, thankfully Achim was faster on the metaphorical draw and flung up a hand sending each of the two Twili hurtling backwards and landing inelegantly upon the ground though neither was actually hurt. After all Achim did not want to initiate hostilities with these people. Oddly enough he felt an instinctive desire to be their friends.

Only now did Midna materialise in all her glory. Were the situation more amicable Achim could have had time to reflect upon her undeniable beauty but unfortunately it seemed that Midna had little desire to talk. She looked down at her prone comrades, still struggling to their feet and then turned her attention to the mirror and finally Achim. For a moment she looked angry, with narrowed eyes and a slightly down turned corner of the mouth but this anger turned into a mournful sadness quite rapidly as she looked down back at the mirror and extended a gentle hand towards it shedding yet one more single tear. An astute eye could tell she was reflecting on something that gave her great sadness, or more to the point regret. But this look was in turn replaced swiftly by one of shock as Achim suddenly had his hand occupying the air just in front of the mirror and caught the tear firmly in his palm. He had moved incredibly quickly. So fast it seemed that he did not occupy any of the intervening air. With tear caught he gave a sly smile in Midna's direction and said.

"Aww now, you don't want to be doing that. It's pointless anyway. I can make a million more mirrors when ever I want to."

Midna returned to looking angry now and she narrowed her eyes once more, saying in her peculiar language but still managing to convey great frustration.

"How can you do that? Who are you?"

Achim smiled and took a few paces away from the mirror, he walked backwards so as to keep his front to Midna before explaining.

"How? I'm a genius that's how? As for who I am, well you can call me Doctor Achim. Oh but please, there is no need to be so hostile. I can understand the urge for isolationism but a determined mind was bound to breach the walls of your realm sooner or later. Be glad it was us for we have good intentions and in the long run can help your realm where as others may seek to destroy it. But of course, we may need you as well."

Midna was still looking less than happy with things, she wanted to keep her realm safe and isolated from everyone else for as long as possible, then again what Achim said made a kind of sense. One thing was clear however, Achim certainly meant them no harm. After all he did not kill the attendants when he most likely could have easily done so. This of course begged other questions such as why not and how did he have this power? But those were issues for another time. Taking a step forward Midna demanded.

"We? Who are this we you refer to? What purpose do you have in mind for us and how can you help the Twili? The realm of light has beauty to it but also a savagery that we have suffered from all to often."

Achim was more relaxed now though he had always seemed to be just that, now however, he had the peace of mind to turn his back on Midna and gesture up into the blackness.

"How can we help? You have no idea what we can do for you, we can deliver you to prosperity. Or oblivion, as for the savagery of the realm of light of that I know all to much. As for you helping us, well that will become clear in time. But most importantly is the we. We are dedicated to the well being of the realms, including yours, but currently mainly Hyrule. We are four in number, five if you include our guest. Ah and it would seem our leader has arrived."

Achim gestured gently to the stairs where the white clad form of Sankt could now be made out approaching the group. Looking to the mirror first and then at Achim Sankt's first action was to congratulate his colleague with a brief pat on the back and the words.

"Well done Achim you old hound, well done."

Achim looked momentarily smug and self congratulatory before Sankt turned his attention to Midna and took a deep bow before standing up straight and declaring.

"I am Sankt, a simple dessert dweller with less than simple designs upon the world. It is an honour to meet one so pivotal to the events of the recent war and so important in their resolution. Opinion here is that you are to receive more credit than the hero of time himself. But that is another matter. I do hope our intrusion was not overly abrupt, but do not fear I am sure you will benefit. Ah but I am being impolite."

He began to slowly move his arms whilst Midna said in a tone that was still slightly annoyed but more suspicious than anything else.

"Sankt? Sankt? I have heard that name before somewhere."

But then speaking in more normal tones.

"As for Link, he was more important than me, without him both Ganondorf and Zant would still be alive and your realm covered in eternal darkness. As for your intrusion it was abrupt and uninvited. But I see you at least are well trained enough to know to apologise."

She smirked slightly at this, she had purposefully likened him to an animal, after all he was inferior to her, or so she thought and she enjoyed this light taunting. More interesting however was Achim's reaction to Midna's familiarity with the name Sankt, he suddenly looked slightly shifty and unsure of himself but only for a split second before resuming his more normal appearance. Whilst all of this was going on Sankt had reached up and uncoiled the white headdress from around his helmet and had now begun to prise the metal casing off of his head to reveal his face. A face that had not seen the light of day in some time. His skin was as seemingly tough as before but unscarred, his eyes slightly sunken and his statuesque nose unaffected by being contained within a helmet for all this time. His stubble remained in a slightly charming layer upon his chin and he was smiling both politely and out of genuine happiness. Midna smiled as well for a moment but it was a more edgy one as she walked past him and tapped him on the cheek saying.

"My you are a rough one. No wonder you hide beneath that helmet."

This provoked a strong and solitary laugh from Sankt as he slowly replaced the helmet and reattached the headdress as Midna's two attendants passed wordlessly past him. Midna herself was now close to Achim and was looking at him with suspicious eyes but this time not because of his array of dangerous tools or bloodstained apron, she had detected something deeper and was unable to put a finger on it. She eyed him for some long time before giving a tiny snorting laugh and mounting the stairs turning to the now fully armoured Sankt and saying.

"So the world needs saving again then I would guess. Well let's get to it."

Either Midna knew or it had not yet occurred to her to ask just where she was, after all this was rather obviously not the arbiters grounds but for Midna something else of greater significance was about to happen. Quickly Sankt leapt lightly in front of her on the stairs whilst Achim appeared magically by the entrance to this mirror chamber and with a slight wave of the hand opened up the door. Midna recognised the magical seal at once that Achim had just unlocked and looked surprised saying.

"You should not have been able to do that. Seriously who are you?"

Achim smiled and gave a shrug saying.

"I already told you, I'm a genius."

He chose not to reveal the fact that Sankt had been able to do exactly the same thing earlier on and instead just stood there waiting for the entire group to pass through the door before closing it behind them and then sealing the chamber with his own magical barrier. Achim was now at the back of the group and Sankt at the front who led the party out towards the main chamber saying slyly to Midna.

"We will save the world yes, but now I think it is time for a bit of pleasure before business eh?"

He gave a tiny laugh much to Midna's confusion before he enterd the main chamber with Link and Nusstai both inside it. Behind Sankt were Midna's two attendants and the sight of these Zant look alikes made both Link and Nusstai bounce to their feet and draw weapons, Link his sword and Nusstai his ebony black bow, both ready to engage and do battle to the death against the two Twili. Sankt raised a hand to stop them and merely said.

"Easy now boys easy. These ones are with us, as is our rather special guest."

Sankt now stood aside to reveal Midna in all her elegant beauty, bleached white skin and night black clothes that seemed almost part of her flesh. A description of her could have occupied poets for generations and perhaps that simple statement is the best tribute to her appearance. Link was standing there a dumb struck as the first time he saw her like this and now Midna to was engulfed by silence. Her ability to speak robbed by this unexpected turn of events. The pair stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity.


	14. Foul words and fine wine

((I have said this before and I will say it again please review this. Judging by the lack of comment and the surprisingly small number of hits this story has generated I know there is something fundamentally wrong but for the life of me I have no idea what it is. I really would appreciate some sort of feed back on this topic from those who are keeping track.))

The pair continued to look at one another but just as before it was Midna who moved first but it was Link's actions that spoke louder than words. Taking a tender step forwards Midna began to extended a gentle hand with her head tilted at a sympathetic angle and at once Link pivoted upon his heel back to her. Whether that was because he wanted for her not to see him or the other way round was not clear. What was clear however, was that Link was emotionally charged. As soon as he turned her back on Midna she seemed to freeze and a combined look of shock and sadness appeared upon her face she even gave a little start of surprise. Slowly she lowered her hand and looked away from Link, not turning her back but looking at the floor any trace of pleasure gone. Silence continued to reign for a few seconds longer before she said in a voice far softer and more hesitant than usual.

" Link I…"

But the sentence was never finished, Link simply flung up a hand to gesture her into silence, it was a firm hand, an angry one which slowly balled into a fist in the air before he said with a tone of seemingly barely suppressed anger but with an undercurrent of gut wrenching saddens.

"Don't… just don't."

The air between the pair almost had an edge to it, as if walking through it would mean death it was so sharp. Certainly everyone had obeyed their instincts and physically backed away from this emotional minefield. Achim had even turned his back on the scene but only to give an odd, sinister smile before returning to face the slaughter of feelings with the same look as was on all the others spectators faces, one of worry, surprise and empathetic pain. Midna now turned her back fully to Link and was visibly shaking, head hung as she said.

"Link I only.."

"Don't start!"

Link screamed the words as he spun around on his heel, facing Midna fully now, hand out stretched and finger pointed in accusation. Anger had consumed his face, spittle dripping from one corner of his mouth from where the scream had flung the liquid, his eyes twitching and lip up curled up on one side exposing some teeth. Despite the fact that he had demanded she did not start he continued taking three highly aggressive steps forward, finger still outstretched in shaking accusation, so close now it was almost driving into the back of Midna's skull.

"You left Midna, you taunted me with hope of a reunion and then you left! More than three years ago now. Three years and nothing!"

Her guards would have interrupted but they could see that Link did not have it in him to cause Midna harm, at least not intentionally. But to her these words cut deeper than any blade ever could have, deeper perhaps than Zant's betrayal. A tear dropped down from her face now and impacted upon the sand causing a tiny crater. With a shaky voice she said.

"Please Link, stop. You're breaking my heart."

These words caused Link to take a few steps backwards, clutching his head with his hands bent over double and humming a long continuous note that slowly grew louder and louder until it turned into a bellowing yell.

"How dare you! How dare you ask me to stop because I am breaking your heart? You did the same to me and it still hurts Midna. How does it feel Midna? Does it eat away at your inside? If your heart is truly broken it will only grow worse. Still, you will recover in time. I know you will because I know you never really cared for me. Had it been otherwise you would have stayed, or taken me with you!"

With that Link spun on his heel, flinging up dirt and stormed out of the main chamber and into the open air, heading for the rickety near collapsed tower and stormed up the semi intact staircase to perch at the top of the structure. There he stayed, staring out across this world with a face that practically oozed anger, but beneath was sorrow and the reason for this was obvious. For a heart to be broken it must once have been devoted and his was and now he knew that devotion could never be realised partly due to his own words.

Midna meanwhile collapsed down upon the ground in what seemed like a ball, he elegant thin black cloak covering her entire body like a cocoon. The sound of sobs could be heard from beneath this layer. It was strange to see such a high-spirited, enthusiastic creature such as herself, something that met even the harshest adversity with even harsher determination curled up in a pathetic heap. Soon she said in a tiny broken version of her old voice.

"I wish you had never brought me here, I had hope but now I have nothing. I hate you all! Take me back!"

Achim then decided to throw metaphorical fuel on the fire by taking a step forward, arms folded and saying in a scolding voice.

"Such are the words of children. What difference would going home make now anyway? Your illusion has been shattered and no amount of isolation can remove you from that truth. Face reality instead with the brave face you show your enemies."

Sankt practically gagged at this and took a rapid step forward protesting sharply beneath his metal helm.

"Achim have you no sympathy? No sense of appropriate conduct? Hold your tongue."

With these words spoken Sankt advanced as close to Midna as he dared and stood about a meter away from her. From here he got down upon his haunches and just squatted near by as if to be a reassuring presence, or as reassuring as a man could be in this situation. Meanwhile Achim turned his back and pointed a finger silently at Nusstai before flicking that same hand in a firm command for him to leave the chamber and head out to Link. This was odd, why was Achim seemingly so eager to be harsh to Midna and yet comforting to Link? Also why was he doing this in such a harsh and commanding way like giving orders in a battle and furthermore if he was concerned for Link why was he not taking action himself? These questions were only added to the heap that all ready lay around the enigma that was Achim. Despite all this however, Nusstai obediently went and sought out Link atop the near collapsed tower where the wind swept by at rapid speeds. So fast that now Nusstai had to hold his hood up with one hand. Slowly the cutthroat sidled up close to Link who made no protest, only stared out at the land in all its myriad diversity. Nusstai was not a man used to comforting the distressed and so had difficulty choosing his words but eventually came out with in perhaps to casual a manner.

"Why are you so upset Link? If everything you said was true you have every right to act like you did."

Link just sighed and shook his head before saying in a regretful tone.

"True but, don't you see? In order for me to think that, to feel this way I had to have loved her. I can't just leave that, you can't just stop caring for someone but, well. You can hardly care for someone who throws it all in your face either can you?"

Truth be told Nusstai was out of his depth, why had Achim had to chose him? Further more why was Nusstai actually comforting Link, this wet behind the ears mindless sponge bag of a man? Choosing to ignore these issues Nusstai merely said.

"Well, my idea of love may be based on romantic tales and what mother used to tell me but from what I can tell if Midna left you like that she lacks the devotion love demands and as such you should forget what affection you had. Focus your attentions on someone who gives you what you deserve."

Link did not answer this, there was no denying Nusstai had a point but equally there was no denying the fact Link still felt something deep down inside, something bellow the hate.

There was no denying Midna felt something too, though none of it was hate, currently it was pure sorrow and distress, it would seem that she was still lacking her usual defiant streak but it would seem that this would swiftly return. Just like Achim Sankt was not the most emotionally agile person around but at least he was making an effort.

"Come now, we can't be having you giving up so easily. This is a long way from your usual spark and bravado that so inspires those around you."

Then leaning in and saying in a friendly whisper as of confiding in her some great secret.

"Plus we can't be having you skulking around and crying in front of your servants now then can we? They might get ideas."

Then leaning out once more but staying on his haunches he gestured widely and said in a more chipper tone.

"So come on old gal, chin up eh?"

Midna's head now snapped around sharply revealing a face that although mired in sadness still retained a certain element of elegant poise. Elegant and sad as the face may be anger lay in the eyes as she practically hissed.

"Chin up? Do you have any idea what that man just did to me? As for my servants their opinions can go to hell, if they get ideas they deserve no less."

Sankt just sighed and flopped back on his arse, he showed no immediate sign of moving at least not until Midna seemed to make some sort of recovery. But immovable as he was he was not inactive. With a slight wave of the hand he beckoned Achim over before saying almost casually.

"Rustle us up some food would you? Something to drink as well if you can."

Achim snorted and walked off shaking his head, but he still went to get the food, he returned some moments latter with a small sack and a case that looked rotten though and crawling with woodworm. Placing both on the floor he opened up the bag and from inside pulled out some unleavened bread, sausages and cheese. He tore the bred up more or less evenly and tossed a piece at each person in the room as well as setting two aside for Nusstai and Link. Midna's piece landed gently by her head. He did the same with the cheese which turned out to be a rough, tough variant of cheddar not so much designed for taste but rather long journeys. The sausage however, was cut more neatly and when sliced it turned out to be a cold savoury sausage which was lightly spiced and also had shreds of vegetable inside of it. Once again he tossed one chunk of sausage to each person, Midna's simply clattering to a halt beside her head.

Sankt was in the process of removing his helmet and placing it gently to the side, thus revealing his rather distinctive features which were currently locked in a position of somewhat tired concern when Achim prized, or rather ripped open the rotten wooden case to reveal several dark, dusty, thin necked bottles within whilst explaining.

"A nice Chianti I found in those ruins, old too. No idea what passes for a good year in this place but it should be decent enough."

He tossed a bottle to Sankt who ripped out the cork with his teeth before allowing the wine to breath for awhile and turning back to his meal, downing the cheese as quickly as he could so as to be able to look forward to the somewhat more appealing bread and sausage. Midna however, who had been ignoring her actual meal suddenly snatched the bottle from Sankt's side and took a great unsophisticated gulp of the delicious red liquid. She seemed to swill it around in her mouth for a while before taking another moody swig. It was at this juncture that Sankt snatched the bottle back away as Achim rapidly tucked the remaining bottle out of sight. Spinning around and bouncing up onto her haunches Midna stared at Sankt with a narrow eyed glare as if almost daring him to take a swig. Sankt saw an opportunity in disguise here and thus took a swig of the delightful wine. For a moment he almost forgot the world around him as he allowed the delightful substance to drift over his pallet. Achim had remembered Sankt's tastes well, he always had enjoyed chiantis especially ones like this which did not so much a dance but glide elegantly over his taste buds and catch that spot at the back of his throat other drinks could not reach.

However, this moment of plesant sthetic reflection was swiftly interrupted by an even swifter hand from Midna who quickly snatched the bottle back and took an aggressive near threatening gulp of her own. Sankt merely laughed and tore some of the sausage off with his bare teeth, saying whilst chewing.

"You know you really should leave wine like that to people with more discerning pallets."

He gave a slight smirk and raised a slightly critical brow. Midna just snorted and turned away though not with quite the same harshness as before saying almost mockingly.

"I'll drink what I want and what kind of pallet would a dessert dweller have anyway?"

Sankt laughed, his gambit had proven a success, without her knowing it he had gently jostled her back into a somewhat adversarial stance over thes seemingly trivial manners, not yet back to her old self but certainly taking a step or two in the right direction. She was even eating now, tearing into the food laid out before her. It was odd to see such an elegant and poised creature eat off the floor and swig straight out of the bottle but there was little choice and perhaps her mood was effecting things as well.

Achim meanwhile had left the main chamber with the remaining bottles and tucked them securely into his geldings saddle bag before casting an eye hesitantly up towards the rickety tower where Nusstai and Link were still perched. Climbing gingerly up the semi complete stairs he tossed a bottle the duo's way before descending silently, not telling them about the food. Words seemed, difficult, to say the least. As a result Link and Nusstai just passed the bottle back and fourth, each taking one swig before handing it to their silent companion. Slowly the two, hero and assassin fell silently into a half drunken sleep, the bottle fell gently out of Link's grip and plummeted to the earth bellow, smashing to smithereens. Ruld for his part had sat down against the wall by the entrance, he too had begun to fall slowly to sleep, the two Twili guards silently taking up guard duty. Once inside Achim saw Sankt and Midna both lying on their backs in the middle of the floor two arms apart from one another eyes closed but each with an arm outstretched firmly grasping the near empty bottle that lay between them, a single mouthful left inside. Clearly the minor verbal joust had not resolved it self and clearly everyone was either so exhausted or so emotionally disposed so as not to sleep in the side chamber Link had found for them all to sleep in. Achim decided to follow this trend and just lay down about ten meters from Sankt and close his eyes, hand folded across his chest and drift of to sleep.


	15. songs, sects and scars

((Just saying I do not claim to have written the song, I just fiddled with the lyrics of the song from Cabaret because it seemed appropriate.))

Morning came for Sankt in the form of a boot in the rib cage as Achim lightly kicked him awake with arms folded across his chest saying.

"Come on you lazy bugger get up. We have work to do."

Sankt just moaned and scrunched his eyes up tighter as if trying to banish Achim's presence by simply ignoring him but another boot forced the man to reluctantly open his eyes and swat Achim away with one hand whilst the other tightened around the bottle. Or at least it would have were the bottle there anymore, instead his hand now gripped wildly at empty space before he spun onto his side to see where the bottle had gone. Now he could see a rather smug looking Midna on the other side of the room holding the empty bottle lightly in her hand and teasingly waving it back and fourth before placing it on the ground and silently walking off. Sankt just mumbled incoherently at this and sat up now giving a wide yawn. After blinking once or twice he reached for his helmet and lowered it slowly over his head which already had the leather cap and chain hood. With the helmet securely in place he wrapped the headdress around the top back and sides of the helmet leaving only his armoured face exposed. Standing up slowly now he gave a wide stretch and seemed to work a few of the kinks out of his back before walking forwards out of the temple and into the sun, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Achim was already well awake and busy ensuring the horse were well fed and watered whilst it seemed the two Twili guards had not budged an inch all night. Nusstai and Link could both just be made out stirring themselves awake at the top of the tower whilst Ruld was down close to the river taking a drink, bent down on all fours lapping it up like a horse. Sankt glanced about now, Midna had mysteriously dropped out of sigh but only for a moment, she was lurking in the shadow of the main entrance to the temple hardly a surprising place for her to be. Cupping his hands around his mouth he called out to the tower.

"Nusstai! Get your arse in gear we are leaving!"

Ruld of course knew the words did not apply to him and he just bumbled back over to the entrance and flopped himself down in-between the Twili guards looking from one to the other slowly. Nusstai for his part was gently climbing down the tower and lept lightly off of it just before reaching the ground so as to land lightly upon his mare. Sankt climbed upon Urko and Achim upon his black gelding. Link was making no obvious signs of moving and to be perfectly honest he was not needed now so none of our white clad heroes actually cared if he was coming. Seeing this Midna decided she would rather go with the three mounted men rather than stay here with Link, that could lead to unwanted complications and emotional encounters, two things she did not want or need right now.

Of course Midna was now mountless especially since she lacked a wolf to ride around like a horse but for her such things were unnecessary she could instead simply float along beside the riders though she would have preferred to walk. As she moved her two attendants moved instinctively to follow but she raised a hand to stop them saying.

"Stay with Ruld, the lummox looks as if he needs all the help he can get."

Ruld did not bother protest, he was still to sleepy to bother engage in this verbal fight. Instead he simply waved a semi dismissive hand as Midna and the others all turned to go. Achim would have stayed here as well but since he had no research to do here he may as well come to the main settlement to try and find out what was going wrong. Of course the group had a little way to go even when riding and especially with Midna now included the group were not so comfortable in one another's presence as to be able to be together in silence. Nusstai spoke first and pointed to the rising sun with the words.

"A red sky in the morning. Not often you see those anymore."

Achim gave a slight snort and shook his head slightly before explaining.

"With the sunrise comes the heat of the day, live in the desert and you realise that kills, literally. Still this is hardly the desert now we are in the plains. It should prove no problem for hardy folk such as ourselves."

There was a few more moments silence now as the group rode, or floated, onward before Sankt decided to talk about an old song that his people had supposedly sung for generations.

"Well that would certainly explain why we sing about the moon rising instead of the sun rising as most cultures do, we have always done our best work at night."

This made Achim smile and look upwards towards the sky giving a slight wistful sigh before shaking his head and saying.

"Oh no, the song is much older than that, we did not always live in the desert, who would want to live in that wasteland after all? No we went there to hide or so I was told. I was never told what we were hiding from but the song is older than our time in the desert. That's all I know."

Truth be told Achim knew much more, much more but we was unwilling to tell it, especially with Midna in the area, also he had kept certain pieces of information from Sankt for his entire life why would he reveal it now? But all this talk of the song did put him in the singing mood. Achim began to hum quietly to himself as if attempting to catch the note and Sankt joined in quickly before the duo sung in perfect unison.

"The moon on the meadow is gracefully calm.

The dodongo in the mountain runs free

But gather together to meet the dawn

Tomorrow belongs to me"

This first verse sung Midna was looking in a slightly unsettled way at Achim and Sankt whilst Nusstai did something even more surprising, he joined in. This cut throat knew the words and this spoke volumes to Achim and made the ageing doctor smile broadly. Now the three of them continued together.

"The stars in the sky are brilliant bright

The zora river gives her gold to the lake

But somewhere a glory awaits unseen

Tomorrow belongs to me."

The trio were getting highly enthusiastic now singing with bravado, confidence and spirit. Clearly there were enjoying this whilst Midna was looking more and more edgy and uncertain. She had heard this sort of talk before and it never led anywhere good.

"The babe in the cradle is closing his eyes

The sky embraces the bird

But soon there's a whisper arise arise

Tomorrow belongs to me."

Now the riders were clenching their fists and thumping them in the air with enthusiasm, their faces all locked in an expression of stern determination and total conviction.

"oh forefathers forefathers show us the sign

Your children are waiting to see

The darkness shall come when the world is mine

Tomorrow belongs, tomorrow belongs

Tomorrow belongs to me!

Tomorrow belongs, tomorrow belongs,

Tomorrow belongs to me!"

With that the whole group, save Midna thrust their fists into the air one lights time, standing up in their saddles and looking generally inspired before they all flopped back down and gave little sighs of pleasure and exhaustion as well as tiny little unexplained laughs from one to the other.

"Well that was enjoyable, so Nusstai I had no idea you were one of us, one of the tribe."

Exclaimed Achim who was still smiling broadly, but all he got in return was a shaking of the head from Nusstai who then replied.

"No no, perhaps my mother was, she was the one who used to sing me to sleep with that but I am no member of your tribe. I was never there, not for the good or the bad. I am no member of your people."

Sankt now spoke with a slight laugh and lent in to tap Nusstai's arm saying as he did so in a friendly voice.

"The blood though, the blood is in there. There is hope for you yet eh Nusstai." He laughed again before sitting properly in his saddle and then glancing over his shoulder only to see Midna standing stock still around about twenty meters behind them. She did not lock so much stunned as unsettled and eventually she managed to say.

"You are all mad. You want to take over the world and engulf it in darkness. You are as bad as Zant, no worse in fact at least he thought he was helping you just want to do it for its own sake."

Sankt stopped Urko and gently turned the horse around so he was facing Midna properly now and gently he walked his horse towards her saying quietly.

"It's just an old song, something that was sung to us as babies. It is of sentimental value nothing more. We don't actually want to take over the world and cover it in darkness. Indeed I know for a fact Achim over there actively worked against Zant, nearly got through to the twilight realm off his own back plus he was looking after the population as a whole or as much of it as he could. We are a bunch of people dedicated to doing what is best for the realms. Don't judge us by a few vitriolic songs. Now come on we have work to do."

He extended a hand to her, leaning down slightly in his saddle. Midna did not take his hand but she did rejoin the group with a slightly unenthusiastic look. With this little side crisis averted the group pressed on to clock town, named after the central structure which was undeniably magnificent. Once again the group passed through without even having their identities checked, the guards merely snaped to attention and the same one who commented on Link before said to Sankt.

"Good morning sir. I see you have yet another hopeful with you. The old one not cut the mustard eh sir?"

Sankt merely nodded but said nothing, rather he pressed on, eager to get himself and his colleagues away from the eyes of any sort of authority. Glancing around the central plaza he noticed a tiny flight of steps leading up into what seemed to be a neglected public garden. Swiftly he led the group into this tiny little hide away which was indeed a small courtyard garden with a tiny little artificial river running along two edges and a small tree. The group now dismounted and tethered their horses to this tree before going about their business. Sankt was as always the one to give orders.

"Allright, it seems I am well known in these parts, therefore I will remain here with the horses. Achim will as well, his magical energies will act like a beacon for the enemy if something goes wrong so he will stay here, out of harms way for now. Nusstai, go into the city and find out what is causing these peculiar behaviour. Take Midna with you, she has the smarts and can handle herself now go."

He gestured the pair away with a flick of his hand and Midna looked shocked at this, someone was actually ordering her about and this was something she was far from used to. Even the rebellious Zant had asked for her power not just taken it or ordered it to be surrendered. Yet here was this mysterious man in white who was giving orders like he ran the place. Of course to Sankt's mind he really did run the place. After all this mission was entrusted to him personally by princess Zelda and in his eyes only she could over rule him. Midna was clearly about to process when a tap on the shoulder from Nusstai and a slight shake of the head from him was signal enough for her not to do so, it would have been pointless anyway. So reluctantly she followed the white hooded assassin out into the market where the answers to their main question of what was going wrong practically hit them in the face like a sledge hammer.

The clock tower had a tiny platform in front of it which had the doors to the inside at the rear, this was the way Sankt and the team had escaped earlier. Standing on this platform now was Sankt. Or rather his exact double but this one had his helmet removed and placed on a small side table near by. Aside from that he was identical in clothing and appearance, he even sounded the same but the differences quickly became apparent. Clustered around him were several normal looking guardsmen facing out towards the crowd, scanning for any potential threats. Beyond them was a large mass of attentive on looking civilians. Sonn the Sankt look-alike spoke to the crowd.

"My people. People of the titans. People of the broken gods. Our time is nearing. The hated people of Hyrule looked upon us at the dawn of time. They looked upon us with fear and ignorance. They saw what they believed to be a perversion of their own forms. A hollow mockery of their lives feeding off of their very existence. People who worshiped gods different to their own and so they cast us out. They broke our power, our will. Their goddesses ripped our titans of their power, turned them into broken gods and sealed us away, here forever to be limited, forever to be small. Both people and goddesses acted out of ignorance, fear and irrationality. Sentence generation after generation to this demi existence for the crime of merely existing though we had never done anything to anger them. Well, that day they sewed the seeds of their own destruction. They created a people bent on restoring true justice, bent on freedom and the equality we so rightly deserve. Bent on punishment. We have had generations to plan and now opportunity arises. Recent events in the realm of the hated oppressor has opened a fracture in reality, bridges from plane to plane exist now where there were none before and old ones reopen. We have begun to execute our plans. Armed raiders distract the clueless foes whilst highly skilled agents infiltrate their society at every level. Soon the time will be ripe for the invasion to begin in earnest. But for that my people, I need you. I need brave soldiers, soldiers willing to answer the call of justice and freedom. Those who will square this grave injustice done to our people. Come to us, we await you. Talk to your nearest recruiter, talk if you wish to me. But join us my children. Join the crusade for justice!"

With that the Sankt double replaced his helmet to the cheers of most of the crowd before reading off of the platform and walking away under armed guard. Meanwhile a few people towards the back of the crowd left shaking their heads, clearly his words were not believed by all at it was these people that Nusstai and Midna now casually followed, Midna getting several looks of suspicion and admiration from the crowd. Nusstai noticed all of the doubters were heading to the same small building close to what appeared to be a major civic structure. Clearly this was somesort of meeting point for the unconvinced. Maybe some form of resistance? Who knew but whatever the case exploring this group and talking to them was not part of Nusstai's current mission and so he began to head back to Sankt and Achim. However, along the way he ducked into a dark alley and dragged Midna in with him where he lowered his voice and said as if talking about some great secret.

"That was eerily familiar. What did you think of all of that?"

Of course when Nusstai talked about it being familiar he was referring to the talk of injustice from the gods, an oppressed people seeking justice and freedom from their chains. This all sounded very much like the words of Zant and if Sankt's doppelganger could think like this then why not Sankt himself? Midna had realised much of this as well and shook her head saying.

"I had thought that Zant would be the last great threat to the realms I would ever see, the last mad man inspired by a perceived injustice yet here I see it all happening again but here these is no treachery. In him, in his plight I see something similar to my own people and I do not hate him but he wishes to crush your realm and I cannot let that happen, not after everything else. Not after what Zelda did, Link…. Link and all the others."

Her voice began to trail off as she entered a state of somber, even sad reflection. Her eyes slowly drifted down to the floor but were quickly ripped back up as Nusstai revealed the real reason why he had pulled Midna aside. He almost hissed the whispered words.

"I may as well cut to the chase Midna, if I wanted to talk about what he said I would do it with the others. No I need to show you something. I think you might be the only one who can help me and I fear how the others will react. I …. Well… Take a look."

Midna was thoroughly confused, what on earth was going on here, what was so awfull that Achim and Sankt could not be trusted and why did Nusstai believe she was the only one who could help him? But the answer to that question was quickly revealed as Nusstai pulled down his hood, removing the shadow from his face he was now clearly visible. He was a pasty, pale and gaunt man. He seemed perhaps under nourished. His hair though young was thinning prematurely and turning white, not grey but a brilliant white. His lips were thin and his cheeks sunk. He only had one eye, it was a beautiful brown, a brilliant streak of colour in what should have been an otherwise ghostly face. The other eye was an empty socket, there were no scars to indicate that the eye had been removed violently but there was something else. Something far more perculiar. Starting in the very bottom of the pit of the empty socket and spreading out to cover the area around that eye and half of his nose were what looked like scabs but not natural ones, the pattern was angular, taking sharp ninety degree turns every now and again, there were four main lines each of which had little sub branches all spreading in this geometric pattern but the really odd thing was that the half of these lines closest to they eye were no longer scabs but instead glowing electric green, nearly blue lines. Just like the markings on Midna's arms and legs when she was in her imp form. Nusstai's face was made all the more shocking when he picked a tiny flake that was still scab off to reveal the strange magical line growing bellow.

Midna almost recoiled in shock and surprise at this, she had not expected a light dweller to have such marking, indeed they were near non existent amongst the Twili also and she had no idea how this was going to effect him. He was right to be nervous though, surely something like this could only end badly for a light dweller. More to the point Midna had no idea how to reverse the process or help him. She looked away before returning his gaze to him and reaching out to pull up his hood and mire Nusstai's face in darkness once more. After a while she said.

"This is not my problem. But I'm going to help you but I want something in return. I don't know what yet but when I telly you to do something, just do it. Unfortunately though I have no idea how to help you, but I will look into things. Now come on we should be getting back to the others."


	16. Firm words and firm conviction

The group had now reassembled in the small neglected public garden, Nusstai had just finished relating what he had seen with occasional supporting remarks from Midna. The horses were all still tether to the rather forlorn looking tree and Nusstai was perched in the branches above them, squatting down as if about to spring from the branch like a cat after a bird. Midna was leaning against the same tree quite casually Whilst Sankt and Achim were both leaning against the wall closest to the water, both in identical poses with heads bent in thought and arms folded across their chests almost as if the whole thing were choreographed but truth be told they just had a weird form of natural synchronicity. This was most likely due to the fact that Sankt had no other form of human contact for the majority of his life and considering this Sankt was remarkably balanced, or at least it seemed that way. After a while however Sankt flicked his shoulders pushing himself away from the wall, in his own mind he had correctly identified the small group of seemingly mal contents as the first people to target for conversion to his cause. But he of course could not do it himself, one sight of him and the group would most likely turn tail and run they did not know him from the doppelganger. There was also the risk that any one of his comrades would also set off alarm bells but it seemed here that Achim was not a figure of prominence, or perhaps he did not exist at all? Were it Sankt giving the address he would undoubtedly have had Achim somewhere in the background but here the man was lacking. Turning now to face his old friend he pointed at the man and said.

"You will go to the group of dissenters and prepare their minds before bringing them before me. I suspect this garden will be too small so I shall await them at the temple. Nusstai will remain here in this garden in case you have need of him. Bring as many men as you can and if any of them have vital skills make sure their tools of the trade are brought out also."

Achim gave a brief affirming nod before turning to Midna and saying in his usual priest like tones.

"You shall come with me. You have an undeniable charm and sometimes moving passion. These may well be useful in influencing the men whether they know what moves them or not."

Midna raised a slightly questioning eyebrow at Achim and a whole questioning and defiant look came upon her face before she said in a matching tone.

"You think that just because you tell me to come I will? Also I think you only want me because of my appearance."

Achim chuckled and smiled nodding his head slowly in agreement.

"Yes to both counts. You are going to come because I say so and you are only useful because of your appearance in this context. You may be a powerful magic user, you may be a great leader of your people but none of that matters right now. I need to be able to sway hearts and minds and you can help, you will help."

The last few words were said almost threateningly and this considered with Achim's cryptic remarks about helping the Twili added another sinister layer to everything. Midna snorted and turned to look at the other two with a look of contempt at Achim upon her face only to be met with a shaking head from Nusstai and a commanding finger from Sankt ordering her to go. Clearly opinion was against Midna here but this did not sway her yet as she said defiantly

"I don't care what you say I am not going, you can't order me about."

Achim gave a slight shrug at this and looked as if he were about to walk off saying cassualy.

"Very well, I hold no lordship over you, I shall leave you here to rot then. Oh did I mention that I sealed the mirror chamber with my own magic, stronger and purer than anything you could muster even with the fused shadow that I smell upon you. Without me you can never go back home."

He turned around now and looked at her with a simply evil smile, his words begged many questions such as how did he know she had the fused shadow still? How was his magic purer than hers and how did he know the ins and outs of Twili magic? But all of these questions were forced to the back of Midna's mind as the realisation was made that if what Achim said was true then she was near totally dependant on him for her future and the future of her people. This in mind she decided that for now it was best to do as he said, though she wasn't going to do it with a smile. In the sharpest most menacing whisper she could manage she said

"You bastard"

Achim laughed at this quite vigorously and flung his head back with a broad smile before looking back down at Midna and retorting.

"Oh if only you knew my dear, if only you knew. No need to fret though. You will get home eventually provided you don't anger Sankt to much. He is a soft touch underneath and will let you go home and I am bound to do as he commands. But enough of this, we must be about our business."

With this Achim turned and left, assuming Midna was behind him which she was, about three meters away. Sankt meanwhile was shaking his head at things in general, he had felt Achim to be unnecessarily harsh but he would not reprimand his colleague in front of those he did not feel to be part of the true group such as Midna. Still contemplating his friends actions he untethered Urko and mounted him before looking down at Nusstai and saying.

"May the sun forever be at your back my friend."

Before ridding off and out of the town back towards the temple. Once Sankt was gone Nusstai said ever so quietly.

"May water never be far from you my friend."

By now Midna had shown Achim just where the group of dissenters were, behind a seemingly unimportant door to a small hovel. Surely not all of the people could fit inside this tiny building. Walking up to the door Achim knocked upon it to be greeted with a tiny viewing slit opening up with a sharp snap and a man saying.

"The caged whale knows nothing of the bottomless depths."

Clearly there was some sort of coded reply that was supposed to be given and Achim had no idea what the appropriate response was and so he simply decided to come straight out with it and say.

"I know not the answer to your riddle but I do have information which will be useful to you, your salvation could well be at hand. Will you open this door to a stranger who offers you victory or will you turn him away and never know what could have been?"

There was a lot of fervent whispering behind the dorr with phrases like. "He looks harmless" and "there is only two of them" being hurled around before a heavy clicking from behind the door came, shortly followed by it swinging away to the side revealing a small bare stone chamber with four men fervently waving the couple inside. Once Achim and Midna were safely within the door was firmly locked and bolted and then one of the four men lifted away a fake section of floor bellow which there was a ladder leading down into the blackness. Achim jumped down it, having no idea how deep the ladder went he was confident he could magically cushion his fall, as it was however the drop barely made him bend his knees upon impact. Midna for her part elegantly glided down the short shaft shortly followed by three of the four men in the room above them.

Achim and Midna now found themselves in a small poorly lit tunnel, the path ahead of them curved out of sight about ten meters away and the flicker of torch light could be seen off of the walls as well as a general murmur of conversation wafting from the same place. Achim advanced with confidence down the corridor and emerged into what seemed a natural caver, at the back of this cavern was another tiny entrance way, not much bigger than a goblin. Just in front of this entrance was a slight raised wooden platform on which a very ordinary looking man with blonde hair and bright gleaming blue eyes was stood dressed in the garb of a peasant. Torches littered the walls at irregular intervals and occupying the floor space were several hundred people. Each of these people presumably had friends and family also doubtful, this was the makings of a small but potent army, if only Achim could win them over. Thankfully he had some help, one of the people who had let the duo in elbowed their way thorough the crowd to take up the podium standing just in front of the blonde haired man who had been about to address the crowd himself.

"My friends, brethren! We are fortunate enough to have in our company tonight one who claims to have found away to deliver us from the clutches of the mad man who draws us towards a needles war. Let us at least hear what this person has to say, we would be unwise to deny him at least that opportunity."

There was a non committal murmur from the crowd but at least it was not one of out right rejection. Ceasing upon this opportunity Achim took the podium as quickly as he could and stood confidently, arms stretched out before the crowd. Midna followed reluctantly behind him, still far from happy about the hold that Achim now had over her. She did not like being controlled but for the moment she could see no way around things. Achim began to talk to the assembled hubbub in an oddly calm and wise tone, he spoke more like the learned teacher than the firebrand revolutionary, this was because he had mentally assigned that role to Sankt, he was just going to path the way.

"People of this land, wise people of this land, those with insight enough to see the horror that your leader pulls you towards. You have long known of the need for his removal but not known of the method. But with a war that will doubtless end in un paralleled bloodshed and the involvement of the goddesses fast approaching action has to be taken. The time is too short for a prolonged political campaign. I fear that only war can be used to prevent war. A smaller struggle to prevent a larger. But I know you ask yourselves how can you triumph against this hardened veteran of a warrior you face and his army of loyal guards and soldiers. The answer to that is here. Not in the form of myself but another, the one I serve. He has the know how to train you, to beat your ruler in war. But he needs you, he needs men and any equipment or expertise you can provide. He has found the lock to free you all, but he lacks the key. You are that key. Will you come to him?"

There was a slight murmur amongst the people and ageneral nodding of heads, they all agreed with the need for action and drastic action, time was indeed running out, their only qualm was in trusting this total stranger. It was not as if Sankt had worked his way up the ranks but rather appeared as if from no where. The whole thing could just be a spectacular trap. The blonde behind Achim voiced these concerns by saying.

"Just who is this miracle leader of yours? What is his record?"

This was a tough question and not one readily answered in a satisfactory way but Achim did his best.

"The man I speak of is one who I have known since he was born, and nurtured for most of that time and doing so I have seen what he is capable of. He is a fierce warrior but more importantly a brilliant tactician. His name is Sankt and you must trust in me when I say this for I do so with all honesty. He is your leader's double."

Achim chose not to reveal the fact that Sankt's tactical experience was all theoretical, he had never commanded an actual battle but he had read and studied the principles of war exhaustively. Rather like a doctor who has passed with a first class degree but never actually preformed surgery. Still, Achim's faith in his friends abilities was absolute and thus he had no worry that Sankt would pull off a marvel first time around. However, the assembled crowd were focusing on another matter, on the fact that this man was the one they despised's double. Or rather that he was not from this world in the first place. The blonde once again spoke up.

"An outsider? You want us to follow an outsider? We do not agree with destroying them but they have hardly done us any favours in the past. Why should we trust in an outsider?"

Achim had been prepared for this and had decided to take a gamble, well two gambles actually. First off he had decided that Sankt, being the sort of fellow he was, would gladly grant a space in his lands in hyrule for any soldiers or families of soldiers who served with him in this war. The second, far more risky gamble, was that Midna would back Achim up and testify to Sankt's kindness to strangers and outsiders as an outsider herself. So Achim rolled the metaphorical dice.

"I can garanutee you all a safe and good home in the land of Hyrule in the lands of my master. A place of safety and security, a job and social acceptance for you and your families. As for my master's attitude towards strangers who better to testify to that effect than an outsider. This is a woman, a noble woman leader of a group despised by the vast majority of the dwellers of our realm. This ultimate outcast can testify to our leaders generous nature."

Midna was far from enthusiastic about the description given of her and her people, even if it was true in several of its aspects. She was also less than enthusiastic about helping Achim out of a tight spot, here she was presented with a simply wonderful opportunity to land him in it and mess up the plans of not only Achim but everyone around him when she suddenly found herself contemplating two very different factors. The first was the world of light, any action here would hurt Hyrule and those light dwellers there she had come to have genuine sympathy and loyalty to. Secondly she contemplated Sankt, she was after all being asked to testify about him and although he had known her for less than a day he had been friendly towards her, sympathetic, done his best to comfort her and shield her from the worst of Achim and even tried to rekindle her usually fiery and standoffish personality. Though Achim may not have been someone she felt deserved a good turn Sankt was and so she decided to say as much.

"Yes, Sankt is a good man, he will not judge on the sins or misunderstandings of the past. He genuinely wishes to do what is best for you and all men and if any of the people from Hyrule have your interests at heart it is him so long as you do right by him he will do right by you and who can reasonably ask for more? I hope to see you all at his side."

The last little bit was thrown in to play to the charm Achim rightly pointed out that she possessed but aside from that her words were genuine and sounded as much. The large crowd murmured more affirmatively now with many more nodding heads. Even their blonde leader seemed convinced and let his eyes wander slowly over Midna for perhaps a little to long before remembering what he was supposed to be doing, Achim was right. The blonde man gave a firm nod saying.

"Very well since it seems to be the will of the group we shall take what we can and our friends and families and meet your master in readiness for the war."


	17. A rose by any other name

Nusstai, who's services had been unneeded in the city was thank full to be back at the temple only now it was far from the deserted pool of eerie calm it had been. Now men, women and even children bustled around with what seemed like a million jobs to do. A city of tents and half built ramshackle houses had now erupted around the ancient stone structure half swallowed by the sand. Along the banks of the river irrigation ditches had been dug and crops were being planted. Slightly further down the river the livestock were teethed drinking happily whilst right up against the hastily made ditch and wooden palisade that marked the furthest extremity of the camp were three large buildings that clung to the rivers shores. One was still under construction but judging by the huge water wheel being nailed together on the bank this building was going to be some sort of mill. The other two building had less obvious purposes the only clues were the licks of fire and flame from within one which turned out to be a blacksmiths furnace and from the other the most befalling array of weird and awful smells blossomed like a stinkweed. This was Achim's latest sanctum where he was conducting various experiments and concocting a wide array of potions and solutions all in the aid of the war effort though what direction his research was going in was less than clear. The main temple entrance way was no loner an unofficial dosing space for the group but was now that main planning room. Several large stone slabs and piles of rubble had been cobbled together as an improvised table in the centre of the dimly lit chamber. Upon that table was a large map of Termania with various torn pieces of paper scattered all of it, on each piece of paper was some sort of note or diagram. Clearly Sankt was using this to understand the local inhabitants, quirks, persons of importance or geographical features of the land. Indeed he was currently pouring over this table with keen interest. In a far corner of this room large crates were slowly being pilled up, one crate had the lid off and inside could be seen layer upon layer of double linked chain shirts. Clearly the blacksmith had been working hard.

It had been about three weeks since Achim and Midna had convinced the group of disaffected Termanian's to rally around their banner and take a more violent stand. But Sankt had come to understand that in order to adequately control this realm five key areas needed to be dealt with. At each compass point there was an area of some importance, the eastern one was where he was now, his temporary base. But the other three, the swamp, the beaches and the mountain, all had indigenous peoples who were loyal to Sankt's doppelganger. They t either had to be destroyed or converted. Then the fifth and final area was clock town it self, the only notable settlement in this strange place. Currently opposite Sankt and also pouring over the map was the blond leader of the dissidents before Sankt had arrived and he was helping Sankt understand as much as he could. This bright blonde man had revealed himself to be named Hake. This had jogged a memory in Achim's mind when he learnt of the name. Achim remembered Hake's double back in Hyrule, a relatively unimportant merchant but oddly this merchant had a cousin named Hake. Perhaps there was some sort of correlation? Or perhaps it was just a coincidence? After all Hake was not the most uncommon of names. No matter what the answer it was unimportant. What mattered was how they were going to go about the war effort. Sankt had decided that converting the outer populations first was the most auspicious course of action. As for which population to target, well that was less important. Rightly or wrongly Sankt had identified the coast as the most important region. His rational was that if you took the coast you stopped imports and exports, communication with other lands and so fourth. Ports were a nations jugular. Sankt had been told that Termania had no foreign trade, there was no port but Sankt was still determined to get a hold of the coast as quickly as possible. Secretly he also felt it would be an easy conversion. He had been told that zoras lived there and historically humans and zoras had never been the closest of allies, alas due to certain cultural exchanges this was not the case here but he was unaware of such factors.

It was now that Midna entered the room and looked about at the hustle and bustle of activity and the clatter of arms. She seemed less than impressed at the display, indeed she had been for some time. She had seen first hand that a single man, the right man, was enough to rebalance the world, take on a great evil and thwart armies. She believed this large scale military planning of Sankt to be totally useless, misguided and even humorous. She looked around and pulled out one of the iron shirts and laughed before tossing it back in the box. She said to Sankt.

"Why do you even bother, why? You have Link here, just send him to deal with the problem. It is not as if your double can stand up to the hero of time any way."

Sankt for his part sighed and shook his head before retorting.

"Thank you Midna, thank you for your lack of faith but this is a fight unlike any you have ever seen before. Whenever the hero of time has had to fight a great foe that all he has ever had to face. Gannondorf, Zant and the myriad of other lesser problems to this world. Never before has he had to fight an entire people. The servants of the dark lords he has duelled all fell from their bindings, lost their way or some such. All he ever had to do was chop off the head of the snake and that is all any one man can do. Here however, that is inadequate. We kill my double another will take his place, this is an enemy all of which is possessed with genuine conviction. Not only must we remove the head of the snake but pummel the body into a paste and for that we need an army. A single intrepid hero will not suffice."

Sankt returned to his planning and plotting, currently he was trying to work out a way of persuading the Zoras around to his way of thinking. What were their needs, their desires? But this was cut off once more by Midna who turned her attention back to the chain shirts and said scathingly.

"Do you really think this will help, puny armour against the power this double of yours doubtless has? Send your men against him with these and they will all die."

Sankt turned on Midna now, spinning on his heels and taking two firm steps towards her, a firm finger pointing in her face.

"Shut up okay? Just shut up! Leave my double to me but he has his own army, equipped like regular guards and goddesses know I can't take them all on at once. Have you not been listening to anything I have been saying? Has nothing sunk through that thick skull of yours or are you just trying to piss me off?"

Sankt turned his back on Midna and returned to the table but this did not mean he was silent, in fact he continued.

"Look Midna, I like you, instinctively for some odd reason and I appreciate what you have done for the realms in the past but if you think that means you have licence to run around saying things as you like then you are very wrong. What about the men eh? Your words will damage moral as well as anger me and I am the one person you do not want to anger. You may think it's Achim but I have the final say in the end. He won't do anything drastic without my permission, he will not kill you or let you go home without my say so. He is bound to serve me you see."

Now he fell into silence and returned to thinking about how to convert Zora, Midna meanwhile temporarily admitted defeat, or so it seemed. She walked silently out of the temple now and into the light of day but her mind was working a million miles an hour. This was the second time that Achim had been said to be bound to Sankt, not his servant or anything but bound which implied some sort of ancient connection, magical seal or blood oath. But although the binding had been mentioned it was never explained, it was almost taken to be part of the natural way of things. She was still pondering why this was so when Nusstai hoved into view. This was most likely the member of the team she currently felt best disposed towards because he had never said a word against her and had revealed to her a somewhat personal and worrying problem of his. As soon as she laid eyes upon him she asked.

"Say, do you know why Achim is bound to Sankt? I mean actually bound?"

Nusstai shook his head and shrugged his shoulders replying almost casually.

"You expect me to know, maybe just maybe I am part of their tribe by blood but I was never raised in the desert, not told of their customs perhaps it is just a turn of phrase. I have no idea. But I do know something else, perhaps even more interesting though it is perhaps only of academic interest."

When the words academic interest were brought up Midna visually lost interest, she was only really interested in practical issues, not a very princess like attitude perhaps but she was an unusual princess of an unusual people. Regardless of her evident boredom Nusstai pressed on with what he had discovered backing up the suspicions of the others.

"You know that Hake fellow? Got the same name as a relative of his doppelganger. Well I was just talking to the blacksmith, turns out his name is Stepo. Now I know his double, blacksmith too, makes a mean black blade. Any way his grandfather was also called Stepo. I was talking to this little blonde kid as will, tiny wee girl can barely speak but her name was Sapps. Now I know her doubles mother, well knew she's dead now."

At this juncture Nusstai let out a long sinister laugh, clearly he was not totally isolated from the events of this woman's death but he swiftly returned to the matter at hand.

"Any way, her sister was called Sapps. Every single one of these doubles as the name of a blood relative of their Hyrule version, or so it would seem."

Midna looked over at Nusstai with a withering look and shook her head saying.

"Well that was a waste of my time. Look let's talk about something more important. Where is Link, you still Talk to him and I want…. I need to see him. I have to explain a few things."

Nusstai gave a snort and shook his head, after a few moments he placed a hand in the small of his back and lent back to crack his spine whilst saying casually.

"Oh I really wouldn't do that if I were you. He is still angry and upset, angry at you and upset at himself. He, well no. I don't want to say anymore."

Midna stepped forward, a pleading painful look on her face. Her usual look of defiance and confidence gone like a flash. She laid one hand on Nusstai's shoulder desperately and say with a hint of panic.

"Please, please you have to tell me. I can barely stand this. No I can't stand it at all."

Nusstai broke her grip upon him and took a few steps away and turned his back. One hand clutched at his forehead in though before he turned back to face her and said.

"All right, all right. Obviously Link is angry at you because you upped and left. Don't tell me why you did it I don't care and neither does Link. The fact remains you did it. He is upset because although he hates you he still loves you in a weird kind of way. After all it was you suddenly taking away what he treasured most that made him like this. When he looks back he remembers all the wonderful times and he feels his hateful outbursts have ruined any chance of that ever being rekindled. That's it in a nutshell. I am sure I left out some romantic peripherals but after awhile I filter it out like white noise."

Midna at first looked pained but when he said he filtered some of Link's words out she got angry almost yelling.

"You ignore him, you filter him out? You don't care at all do you?"

Nusstai shook his head, had his face been visible it would have been a mask of neutrality.

"Do I care about Link? No. Why should I? He has never done anything for me, not personally anyway. I stick around him when he cried because I'm not evil but I don't really care about his problems. Frankly it makes no difference to me how things wind up from his point of view. Oddly enough though I do care, a little about you. Call it instinct, whatever. I don't know. The reason why I am even having this conversation is because I care about you in some small way. Perhaps it's the whole I thing I honestly have no idea but I do care. Just not very much."

This was yet another example of the members of the white clad group acting in Midna's favour on instinct, or at least that was the best reason they could come up with. But why her? Especially when their personalities seemed to grate so much. Never the less Midna ceased on this and emplored.

"Please, if you even care a shred about me then bring Link to me. I have to talk to him."

Nusstai sighed and shook his head as he began to walk off to fetch Link calling back to Midna.

"Okay okay, but you are making a mistake. This will all end in tears I tell you!"

To which the only reply was a tiny whisper from Midna.

"It already has."

Nusstai brought a very grumpy looking Link to Midna, a Link who was in no mood to cooperate. He walked right up in Midna's face and said practically spitting.

"You have something to say to me? Some business to discuss?"

This was not the way to begin healing wounds, Midna took three steps directly backwards before looking down at the ground, a small child was close at hand running around with an impish green and playing with her friends. This however, had no impact on Midna's thoughts. Slowly she said.

"Whilst we were fighting Gannondorf and Zant we went through so much together. It was you, you who made me realise the world of light was worth saving. You and Zelda. Can't we at least…."

She meant to ask if they could at least be civil but somehow those words never came from her mouth, they just seemed wrong. Link was about to speak but the small blonde child cut in.

"You fought Zant?"

Link at once kicked into his caring mode, it was not in him to be angry with a child even if it was spill over anger. In a calm and a caring voice he said.

"Yes, yes. I am surprised you heard of Zant little girl."

The girl smiled and giggled teasingly before saying in her candy drop voice.

"I may be a girl but I am not stupid. Zant has been in charge here for years. He's the scary man in white who wants war."

At once both Midna and Link looked almost dead, the colour flushed from their faces as both thought that the Zant they knew was still alive and well. But then puzzlement replaced their surprise and horror. Zant was dead, very dead, Gannondorf was gone, his link to Zant broken. Zant was dead and gone. But then that meant. Midna was the first to make this realisation followed by Nusstai, Link was still in the dark though. If Doplegangers had the same name as blood relatives of their Hyrule versions and Sankt's double was called Zant then that meant that the Zant they knew was a blood relative of Sankt. Sankt and Zant were from the same family! Now both turned to look slowly at the temple as Sankt walked out casually and looked up at the sun.


	18. who are these men?

Nusstai was keeping very still, eyeing Midna's next move, she could either act in a considered or careful way or be her usual reactionary self. At first she just lent in and whisperd something to a still confused looking Link but judging by the way his confusion shifted into a look of firm conviction it was apparent Midna had just explained Sankt's supposed family. Never mind the fact the whole thing was utterly bizarre, after all Sankt in no way resembled a Twili let alone Zant and also Sankt had played no role in the latest war he had merely stayed in the desert, blissfully unaware of everything that was going on. But it was clear now from the looks on their faces Link and Midna intended to do the same to Sankt as they had to Zant. Both turned on their heels and began to march in a determined fashion towards Sankt who was blissfully unaware of all of this. His first clue that something was up was the way Nusstai waved a bit with his arms silently before stringing his bow and levelling it at the back of Link's head. Now Sankt knew something was up and drew sword and shiled, placing himself in a firm defensive position. So, Link and Midna had snapped already, perhaps Achim had pushed them too far, or even himself. These were the thoughts running through his mind all of which were wrong. Midna's guards were getting in on the game now and had seen Nusstai string his bow. Seeing this as an attempt on Midna's life the surged forward in an odd gliding movement mere inches off of the ground. Things were rapidly degenerating now into an all out fight as Ruld began to charge at the two Twili, trying to cut across their path to prevent them from reaching Nusstai and then, battle was joined.

First contact was between Link and Sankt. Link was in a guarding position as well, his shield covering most of his torso and face and sword held back but level, clearly he was going to make some sort of thrusting attack on Sankt, an attack easily dealt with. Angling his shield upward slightly he took the blow head on, the slope of the shiled forced Link's sword up high above Sankts head hith the ear bending screech of metal on metal. Sankt's own sword was down held low and now flung up in a tight arc at Link's exposed sword arm. Were he to make contact doubtless Link would loose an arm. Midna screamed a warning and Link quickly began to draw back his blade, quickly enough so Sankt's hand and a half sword only collided with the blade of the master sword knocking it heavily aside with such force Link's entire upper body twisted around with the blow. With body moved but feet stationary Link was dangerously off balance and a quick shield bash from Sankt sent the hero of time tumbling inelegantly to the floor. Midna saw with a look of horror the vulnerable position Link was in, sprawled in a heap upon the ground, shield side down he would make an easy target and Sankt knew this too, his sword was making a harsh and brutal descent towards Link. However, the course of his blade was soon interrupted by a strange, fiery orange substance that had splayed out like a hand and was holding his blade firmly. Following the course of this peculiar hand it swiftly became evident that Midna had flung back her hood and was using her hair as a weapon in the same old style as before. Never before had Sankt come across magic hair and he was not quite sure how to deal with it. Midna flung his sword away and then reared her hand like hair back, clearly ready for some great strike. But Midna had forgotten about the long strap Sankt kept his weapon on. With a firm tug his sword came hurtling back toward him and cut across Midna's shoulder as it did so causing the woman to gasp and clutch at her shoulder, delaying her onslaught by a few seconds. Time enough for Sankt to leap backwards and out of harms way as Midna's fiery fist of hair slammed down on the space Sankt had previously been occupying.

Meanwhile Nusstai was also having a tough time of it, Ruld had proven too slow and one of the Twili guards had reached him just as he was about to loose the arrow. Shoulder charging Nusstai the Twili sent the assassin sprawling upon the ground, the arrow whizzing of harmlessly into the sky. The guard had raised his suspiciously empting looking sleeve and was clearly about to cast some sort of spell when it gave a shill highpitched yell, echoed into infinity by the helmet. Ruld had just buried the head of his halberd deep into the Twili's casting arm, the thing was practically hanging off of his shoulder now, a few tendrils of pale white flesh was all that stood between the current situation and total dismemberment. The guard span around to face Ruld, hoping to deal with the man mountain quickly before Nusstai could get to his feet but the Twili had underestimated the speed of an assassin. From the ground Nusstai kicked the legs out of the Twili guard sending him tumbling to the floor whereupon Nusstai sprawled forward on top of him, drawing a kukri as he went for the guard and plunging it into the Twili's throat before ripping it across to let the torrent of life flow out in a great gushing tide.

There was however, still the issue of the second Twili guard who was driven on with renewed determination by the death of his comrade and was even now casting a speel, flinging a visible wave of dark energy at Ruld which caught the man full in the chest sending him sprawling backwards, hitting the ground with a huff. Ruld's temporary surprise was swiftly replaced by panic however as the dark wave formed now into bindings across his wrists and ankles, tying him to the floor with such a firm grip he could not break free. The Twili guard now drew both hands up ready to cast the final spell that would seal Ruld's fate when his chest suddenly exploded in a mess of flying clothes, blood, flesh and bone. The Twili guard died instantly, his body hurtling back to smash like china upon the dusty ground. The bonds around Ruld broke as the power feeding them was destroyed and he rose to his feet to see Achim, hand outstretched before him. Most peculiarly the hand was actually steaming. Achim wore a look of grim determination and displeasure, he did not look angry, furious or possessed with the need for the total destruction of his enemies but rather a look of sever disapproval. This look slowly turned to Link and Midna, what would be their fate? What would be Sankt's?

Link had by now been able to regain his footing and clamber to his feet, any attempt on him prevented by Midna's interposing hand. Still Sankt was not keen to kill either of these two people and he still was not sure why they wanted to kill him, but if their efforts persisted he would certainly rather destroy them both than sacrifice himself. Link was the first to attack once more, a look of fury in his eyes, even hate and a hint of madness or possession. He opted for a very simple attack, big, wide and powerful as he leapt into the sky at the last moment and swung down with his sword. Sankt flung his shield up above his head to take the blow and even then the sheer crushing power of it forced Sankt to sink on one knee or else crumple completely under the sheer strength of it. But of course Link had to come down as well, he touched down on the ground less than a meter away from Sankt and with both his arms high his lower body was utterly exposed. From his kneeling position Sankt thrust out with his sword trying to catch Link in the gut. But Link was no fool, he knew the vulnerable position he was in and pet back out of harms way almost as soon as he touched the ground. What Link was not expecting was for Sankt to let go of his blade and send it hurtling towards Link, straight and true. Link almost panicked at this unexpected attack, he had never fought anything like it, his brow dripped with sweat as he stalled but at the last possible moment he swung his blade from left to right in a low, downward arc, batting the blade off its course to land harmlessly on the ground a few meters behind him. However, Sankt was not yet done with his attack and yanked his blade back. Once again Link was caught off guard and as the sword scuttled along the ground it cut across the back of Link's right ankle, severing the tendon and forcing Link to collapse to the ground, currently unable to support himself and bleeding heavily.

Midna, understandably incensed by this, renewed her attack and forced Sankt onto the retreat with her barrage. Her fiery hand of hair wold come at him in a simple punch, perhaps Sankt could take it but he was unwilling to test this theory so each time he either leapt to the side or backwards. But wither her normal hands Midna would summon up some dark fiery spell and throw tiny orbs of flickering energy at Sankt, these he had no choice but to take on his shield, each blow felt like a hammer falling upon his defence but he knew he would be unable to keep this up forever. But whenever he tried to charge there was her magical hand bearing down upon him once again forcing him to retreat once again. Things seemed deadlocked so Sankt took a gamble and charged straight into Midna's fiery fist, taking the blow full on his shield and digging his heels into the ground. His shield arm strained horribly, it felt as though it were about to break, he was forced to put his sword arm into it as well and kept straining, his face contorted into a grimace of stress and determination. If he broke now it was all over. Slowly he slid one foot forward, then the other. This was excellent news, he was gaining ground. He could push forward, he could win! He took another determined step forward before suddenly changing tactics. Hoping one arm could hold Midna for a short while he flung his sword forward, taking Midna off guard. She was forced to break her attack and leap backwards. Sankt ceased this opportunity and surged forward with renewed determination and now nothing blocking his path. He was on Midna like a flash, wide eyed and laughing insanely as he sense victory. As he advanced he tugged his sword back into his hand, ready to drive in hard on Midna but he had been over confident and too hasty in his attack. Sankt swiftly found the fiery hand swiping out his feet and the grabbing him, holding him upside down in the air. This was it, Midna was going to crush his legs in her grip if he did not do something fast. Using the momentum of his ascent he flicked his body up and hacked at her fiery hair. Although she felt no pain the attack did interrupt the magic flow and force her to let go. Sankt fell inelegantly and hit the ground like a rock but was quickly back on his feet just in time to deflect another blow from Midna before he surged forward once again, slamming into her body with his shield and forcing her to the floor with sheer brute force. He peculiar hand of hair was lying some distance away now and she was not in the process of casting any further spells. She was at his mercy but even now, even as she hovered on the brink of oblivion she stared up at him with the same defiant hate as she had at Zant, something told Sankt that her motivation for attacking him was misplaced, there was no way she could have become so hateful so quickly but that mattered little now. She genuinely wanted to kill time and there was no time for talk, she had to be killed. Sankt seemed to move in slow motion, his sword descending like a boulder upon a baby. Every sense was heightened as Midna knew she was unable to escape. This was her time at the hands of Zant's blood. Who knew it would end like this?

But, it did not end this way, Midna quickly found herself whisked away by some unseen hand and Sankt's blow fell harmlessly into the ground. Midna's eyes widened, she could attack now, her third hand was right by him, she could crush him, but somehow, her magic failed. Her hand returned to simply being hair. Something was cutting her off. But what? What could possibly do that? She looked up to see who was pulling her, but no one was. She was being moved magically. Glancing around she laid her eyes upon the one man who could have done this, Achim. But why was Achim saving her? What was going on? She was now suspended hopelessly in the air. From here she could see everything. Link balled up on the ground, unable to stand lying in his own blood. Her guards both dead with Nusstai and Ruld standing over their bodies, Nusstai reclaiming his bow. Achim with one hand outstretched, holding her in place in the air and Sankt advancing with menaces upon the prone and helpless Link. She screamed out as loud as she could.

"Link! Link! Watch out he's coming!"

Link looked at the advancing Sankt and tried to shield his body, prop himself up with his sword but each time he stumbled and fell back to the ground only one thing stayed Sankt's blade and that was Achim's firm and commanding voice.

"Stop, stop this needles violence. Only moments ago we were united behind destroying the oppressor of this realm but now we turn on one another. Why is this?"

Midna looked down at Achim and called out in the manner of a friend to a friend.

"Achim, Achim all is forgiven. I know now why you act the way you do. You have been cruelly manipulated by this man, Sankt the blood of Zant. His evil has corrupted you but break free of the chains, crush the last remnant of Zant's evil. None of his family can be trusted, all wish to usurp power and drench the world in darkness. Stop him. You can stop him!"

Achim laughed, it started as a quiet laugh, very small almost a whisper but ended as a roar, or a howl even of laughter.

"Stop Sankt because he is a blood relative of Zant? I have dedicated my life to this man's service. He has right full lordship over me, whether he knows it or not. I serve him because of his lineage. Not because he is Zant's kin but because of one long before."

Now it was Sankt's turn to start blurting out. He turned away from Link and said to Achim in a confused and bewildered tone.

"Wait a moment. I am related to Zant? I am related to Zant? You knew about this? Why did you never tell me?"

Achim extended one hand towards Sankt in a calming gesture whilst he explained.

"It was never the right time for you to know. Perhaps it would have been best if no one but I ever knew. There is an ancient reason why you were not told, one of many things not fit to be said in the presence of outsiders. We shall talk privately latter. For now however."

Achim turned his attention back to Midna and extended the hand he had been holding towards Sankt to her now, he seemed to be beckoning her closer but of course she was unable to move due to his magics. Then something twisted inside of her, it tugged and pulled, it felt as though her insides were going to erupt from her body. She grimaced in pain, gritting her teeth and trying desperately to fight against whatever Achim was doing. She gave a yell as what looked like grit emerged from her body followed by all the intact pieces of the fused shadow. The grit the reassembled itself into the headpiece that Gannondorf crushed before the final battle with Link. Achim was now in control of the entire fused shadow which drifted slowly towards him and into his own body, seemingly for safe keeping. He tapped his chest and said in a whisper to himself.

"Ah you all just stay there."

He then suddenly released his grip upon Midna and she fell a good ten meters to the ground with a yell. Link, unable to walk, crawled over to her. Or at least he would have were it not for an interposing boot from Sankt which thumped down in his path along with the words.

"Oh no, you just stay where you are."

Achim waved a hand dismissively at the situation and had a vague look of disinterest now. He was speaking mainly to Midna as he correctly regarded her as the brains of the pair.

"I must thank you for assembling the fused shadow. It is a shame I could not have allowed you to keep them indefinitely you are an excellent woman but after that little display I can hardly trust you with them. As for Sankt he is not Zant, he is merely a very loose relative. Were he loyal to Zant he would have fought with him during the war, or killed you on sight. He certainly would not have comforted you and treated you with such camaraderie. Next time think before you act. Your rash decision has cost you the lives of your guards and much of your power. Unfortunate really, but hopefully you will take away from this experience the lesson that Sankt is on your side. He is not Zant no matter how much you may like to think so."

Achim gestured vaguely at some medics less skilled than himself and pointed to Link where upon they began tending to his wound. Midna now rose to her feet, she felt weaker. How had Achim been able to block her power, steal the fused shadow. How did he know about Sankt's relation to Zant. Almost in a hiss she asked.

"Who are you Achim?"

Achim turned around with a slightly mocking smile and said shrugging.

"Why should I tell you?"


	19. Bad company

Recent events had done nothing to further group harmony. Achim was remaining as secretive as ever and Sankt was being no help either, though in his case it was more to do with ignorance than a conscious choice to withhold information. After the little engagement Sankt had felt it wise to divorce himself from Midna and Link for a short while but also to keep himself away from Achim, he was not best pleased with the man at the moment. It seemed a great deal had been kept from Sankt by the old man, who knew what else was still a secret? After a few hours however, when things had calmed down a bit though Sankt felt it best to approach Midna and Link who were currently sitting side by side in the entrance way of the temple, sheltering from the sun's hot rays. Link was looking very annoyed and disgruntled with a huge bloody bandage around his ankle and a pair of crutches close at hand. Midna for her part was fussing like a mother of Link's wound quite ignoring the more minor gash over her own shoulder. Sankt, who was utterly unharmed, approached the pair cautiously, much like a man walking into a minefield. He drew a few harsh looks as he approached but no actual words of warning or anger and so he now drew closer with more confidence. Once he reached the duo he sat down across the way so he could easily talk with the pair. There were a few moments silence before Sankt casually gestured at Midna's shoulder saying.

"You should get that seen to, I can bind it if you want."

Midna looked harshly at Sankt with a glare in her eyes as if to ward him off before saying equally harshly.

"As if you have not done enough, you did this to me remember."

Sankt gave a heavy sigh and shook his head, his body language suggested he was about to give up. With a slightly vexed and impatient tone he said.

"Look, you struck first. I was only defending myself. It was not as if I knew about being related to Zant and even if I am why are you judging me for that? I am helping you not harming you."

Midna started up, indeed yelled.

"You were going to kill us!

"You were going to kill me!"

Was Sankt's simple reply. It was clear that this simple disagreement was not going to be solved by the two just disagreeing with one another. An unsteady hand stretched fourth and settled on Midna's shoulder. It was Link's and he said to her.

"Perhaps we acted to hastily Midna, the family are not always of one mind and as Achim himself said Sankt is very loosely related to Zant."

Midna's first reaction was to turn suddenly to link and place a hand upon is shoulder in a caring fashion, whispering to him almost.

"Shh, Link Shh. You must rest."

But when she had listened to his words she suddenly did not look quite so carring, indeed she looked harsh, even scornful.

"Do you not remember Zant? He almost destroyed both our worlds and what he did to me was… it was the worst betrayal. Any shred of his existence must be wiped out!"

Link looked confused for a few moments. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head before saying.

"I remember Zant well enough and I know Sankt is not Zant. I am not saying we can trust him but I am saying his family is no reason to distrust him. Achim is more his family than Zant. I don't think Sankt and Zant ever met."

Midna got up and walked away a few meters, her back turned to Link and Sankt.

"You don't understand, I can't take the risk."

Sankt was rapidly getting fed up, he pointed in a lazy way at Link whilst saying to Midna.

"You should listen to him, he is taking the right line, cautious but not irrational. Still I suppose you aren't going to listen to any of the words that come from my mouth are you?"

Sankt sighed and slowly stood up shaking his head, he took a few paces away from the group before saying with his back turned to them.

"Besides Midna, you will have to trust me eventually."

Midna of course still had her back turned to everyone else as well but now she turned her head slightly to glance at Sankt.

"I will never have to trust you, and at this rate I never will."

Sankt gave a single snort of derision as he walked away, waving a dismissive and slightly half hearted hand. Midna had gone back to looking away from both Sankt and Link, her face a mask of frustration and anger. Eventually, when she was sure Sankt had gone she turned back around towards Link and said in a snappy fashion.

"Why Link? Why are you sticking up for that man?"

Link sighed and tried to struggle to his feet only to fall back down heavily upon the earth, he was going to need help standing up. Eventually he replied.

"Because we acted to soon, I am not saying we should trust him. I don't trust him fully. I have seen him do things I do not approve of such as execute a prisoner but we should not judge him because of loose family connections."

Midna walked up to Link and gently helped him on to his feet and as she did so said in something of a pressing whisper.

"Is not that evidence enough? A relative of Zant who does evil things such as execute a prisoner? They are all the same! Don't you see this?"

Grasping his crutches and tucking them under each arm Link then began to walk away from Midna saying.

"I have heard enough of this, Zant really messed you up didn't he? You can't even think straight. Besides I would not call the execution actually evil, more wrong."

Link was now hobbling away from Midna but she was unwilling to simply leave him and walked along behind him saying forcefully.

"No, you are not thinking properly, you are too nice, too naïve. Just leave the thinking to me."

"I am not some dumb beast you know, I can think for myself, besides so what if you are right? What do you expect me to do about it, kill him?"

Was Link's reply, he said it almost mockingly as though killing Sankt was a patently absurd idea but Midna's cold and level answer sent shivers running down Link's spine.

"Yes. Kill him."

Link span to look at Midna, or span as well as a man on crutches could. He looked at her with horror over his face, aghast at what had just been said, it could be said that he even looked slightly afraid.

"Yes? You really want me to kill him? Midna, this is crazy, irrational. Besides it's not like we could. I am injured and he got the best of me when I was at the peek of my fitness and Achim took the fused shadow away from you like taking candy from a baby, goddesses know how he came by that skill but still but he has it. We cannot beat those two but more importantly we should not, they do not deserve to die!"

Midna started to reply but had not even formed her first word when Link moved off rapidly saying.

"Look, just stay away from me if you are going to think like this. I will not take action against Sankt until I know he is evil and you are the one who seems worst now for wanting to kill this man who is after all trying to save Hyrule."

With that he was gone, hobbling away as fast as his crutches could carry him. Midna just stood there looking incensed, furious even. Eventually she span around so her back was to Link and she remained there for a little while muttering to herself.

She was still there, brooding in the temple courtyard when a small and gentle hand tugged at her long black robes. She looked down to see a small girl with messy brown hair and a grubby face but oddly bright blue eyes that if anything seemed to further the look of her grubby and unkempt appearance as they offset the rest of her. She had an equally grubby looking dog on the end of a string which was tied around her wrist. Midna looked in confusion for a moment at the small, feral looking child until the child spoke.

"Why are you looking so cross miss?"

Midna was slightly taken aback that a stranger should express interest in her affairs, let alone emotions but such was the behaviour of children, sweet things that they were. Midna forced a smile for the child's benefit before explaining.

"I was just thinking about some people, villains and fools."

The last part was aimed specifically at Link even though he was no longer there, she glanced maliciously in the direction he had hobbled off in before continuing

"It's just, well I don't think Sankt is a good man, his family Zant, not this Zant but another one, did terrible things to me, my people and so many more. How can I trust Sankt after what Zant did?"

The girl looked confused for a moment or two, with her tongue sticking out of her mouth at an odd angle as she pondered things before finally saying.

"I don't understand miss. They are not the same person are they, or did they do things together. It seems like some boys I know. You see Rempy is my best friend, except for old Suggs here."

At this point she turned and patted her dog causing him to leap up and lick the girls face excitedly, whilst still toying with her pet the girl continued.

"Rempy is a nice boy, we play hide and seek together, but a few weeks ago I met his big brother, Ald. Ald is mean and nasty, he hits Suggs with a stick and plays horrid tricks on him. I don't like Ald, but Rempy is still nice."

Midna sighed slightly, this whole problem was on a far grander scale than dogs and child's games but in that peculiar way seemingly unique to children the small girl had made a decent point, the same point Link had been making only now in coming from a child's mouth it seemed to have a greater significance, or at least seem more true. After a moment or two's thought she untied the dog from the girls wrist and picked up a near by stick before hurling it away, the dog streaking along behind with the girl in close pursuit. The two disappeared behind a shack and out of sight.

Midna was still considering the girls words when the girl, reunited with her dog after it had given the stick to her rather than Midna, underwent a transformation. With a quick spin on her heel she suddenly went from being a scruffy and feral child into being the middle aged, pristine yet tired form of Achim complete with blood soaked apron and tools, the dog for its part vanished into thin air. Achim was wearing a sly smile, he had managed to totally fool Midna, or so it seemed and force her to reassess her position. But why was Achim so keen to bring about this state of mind, he was scarcely one to work towards harmony for harmony's sake, what was he up to?

Soon however Sankt re-emerged now atop Urko, looking down at Midna from beneath his helmet he said to her.

"You know, you should really get a horse, you can't keep pace with horses just by floating forever."

Midna shot up what can only be described as an evil glare but this was swiftly replaced by a look of somewhat horrified surprise as she saw Link emerge also upon his horse. Strapped to Epona's side were the two crutches belonging to Link. Was he seriously proposing to ride with Sankt? This was unthinkable, or at least it was to Midna who was about to protest when Sankt continued.

"Come on, hitch up your skirts or whatever it is you do and make ready for the journey. You're coming with."

Midna was about to turn away and walk off in a near fit but she dwelt on Link for a little while, left alone with Sankt who knew what thoughts the could place in Link's head. Truth be told the poor boy had a good heart but hardly a good mind, he lacked proper mental rigour, acting on uninformed emotions and narrow minded morals extolling the virtues of kindness and good to the point where Link almost damaged himself. He needed someone to look after him and it may as well be her. Indeed Midna would most likely be jealous if anyone else took care of Link, she had become somewhat possessive, a flaw only exaggerated by their years of separation. Plus if she were with Link she may be able to convince him of Sankt's evil or perhaps assassinate Sankt in someway that Link would not pin the blame on her for. No matter what the reasoning Midna felt it important that she come on the trip. So, with a heavy sigh and a heavy heart she floated a few inches off of the ground and fell in besides Link who eyed her cautiously, much like a man would eye a savage dog. It hurt Midna to see how Link currently regarded her, with outright suspicion. However, she resolutely refused to show any sign of such emotion and kept a dignified façade.

Eventually the group left, in what can only be described as a chilly silence. No one member of the group totally trusted the other for various reasons and each was left to their own private thoughts until Link thought to ask.

"Where are we going Sankt?"

After a small knowing nod he eventually replied.

"We're off to see the Zora. Historically they never got on well with the king of Hyrule, always claiming to have semi independent status. I hope the case is the same in this realm."

Little did Sankt know that this was going to be a far more complex problem than just knocking on the door and saying hello.


	20. Something’s fishy

When the group arrived at the coast Midna was certainly looking distinctly tired, Sankt had been right, she could not keep pace with horses forever. She remembered a time only a few years ago where she did not need a horse. Her eyes drifted over to Link and she wondered if it was possible to force him back into his wolf form so she would have something to ride again. She was increasingly of the opinion that he was little more than a dumb animal anyway. Oh certainly she had great affection for him but to her eyes he was immensely thick with all the mental agility of a fish, his quick sword hand was hardly matched by a quick mind. She thought on all the times he had faced major problems and every time someone else had told him what to do, precisely the line of thinking Achim had taken weeks ago. She dwelt on this for sometime whilst Link and Sankt looked around at their surroundings. Before them lay a small sand beach, fine sand and pure. Tiny shells littered the surface. Someway off to the left the sound of a waterfall could be heard but it was obscured by a small protrusion of what seemed to be coral rock, clearly this area had once been under water. Beyond the golden sands lay the great blue sea, clichéd as it may be the sea really was bot great and blue. A brilliant blue as well, pure almost shining in it self. If you were to sail a boat out to the sea when looking down you would be able to have a clear view right to the sea bed, not that that was very far down so close to the coast, but still it was a rare thing. The sky above was cloudless and a bright sun beat down upon the group producing a pleasant, non humid heat. Odd since they were so close to the water. Looking around their was no obvious way to reach the Zora home, all that greeted them was the soft rhythmic lap of water against the sand. Deciding the watter fall was as good a way as any to go Sankt rode slowly in its direction, Link close behind and Midna languishing in a distinct third.

About half way to their destination they passes a small hut, very low to the ground, not even really tall enough to be deemed a fully story high and out of the small door came a stooping Zora, a Zora armed with a spear and shield and what appeared to be some odd kind of fish scale armour, though coming from a Zora it was unlikely to be regular fish that were used in its creation. Though the man was armed he did not seem hostile and called out in a smooth, liquid voice.

"Halt travellers. What is your purpose in these lands?"

Sankt, being the leader of the group rode two paces towards the guard before calling back from beneath his helmet.

"We are here to beg an audience with the leaders of the Zora. We have an important issue to discuss."

The Zora guard shook his head, his head tail lagging behind the shae slightly producing an odd double shake.

"You can't just see the leader. You need to apply, then get an approved appointment. His diary is open now but that hardly means he wants to see you. I can however, let you into the public part of the city, where human and Zora can meet. However, you are not able to enter the private districts. Is that clear? The punishment for not obeying this is severe."

Sankt waved a slightly dismissive hand at this and nodded.

"Yes yes, we understand. One question though. Where is the town?"

This caused the guard to chuckle as he returned to the inside of the hut, beckoning the others to follow. Dismounting Sankt, Link and Midna did as suggested. They had to stoop through the small doorway but when inside the hut they found what looked like a tiny room droped into a large single room chamber with banks of complex machinery, mostly consisting of cogs propelling what seemed to be a cable car system. This cable car dropped into a tunnel in the bottom of the room which was filled with water, clearly leading out into the sea. The guard went over to a stationary car next to the boarding platform and opened the door gesturing inside. Hesitantly the group climbed in, nervous of the fact that they were about to be totally submerged and unable to escape if anything went wrong. In other words their fate was utterly in the hands of this machine and whichever Zora made it. You could tell it was of Zora craftsmanship. A human would have made a simple sturdy box out of metal and left it at that. This however was an elegant, perfectly spherical bubble made out of what looked like glass. The supporting structure was twisting, fluting brass, polished to look like gold. Well at least they were going under water made by people who knew about being under water.

Once they were all inside the device slid silently into life, gently taking them down into the water, they watched as the liquid floated up the sides and eventually over the top of their capsule, bellow water they could now see the dive was suspended from a series of pools protruding from the sea bed with a thick cable hanging from each poll. Fish swam around the capsule now, bright colourful fish which put Sankt in mind of an underwater light display. On the sea bed flat fish, for want of a better word, swam and crabs scuttled around, seemingly care free. However, the sea life in all its rich complexity suddenly scattered and fled the scene as a huge shark swam by, seemingly ignoring the glass capsule as if it could not see it. Beneath the shark's jaws swam a pilot fish, hoping to feed of the scraps that inevitably fell from a sharks bite when feasting upon its prey. But as always the pilot fish had to be keen not to swim into view lest they become lunch. All three watched the shark nervously, if the capsule really was made of glass then they were more or less at the creatures mercy. However, they never had to test the idea as to whether or not the capsule was made of glass as the trio passed safely along the sea bed and into what seemed a natural cave. When eventually hey emerged from the water they could see they were now in a huge cave, littered with massive stalagmites and stalactites, all of which had doors carved into them and steps leading up as appropriate. Large pools in the cavern floor hosted small groups of Zora swimming around, next to many of them were traders stalls or desks with what looked like public officials behind them. Everything here was very open plan, with no real streets just a space in essence. At the far end of the cave was a large door made out of thousands upon thousands of clam shells, clearly this led to the private areas where only Zora were aloud.

Stepping out of the capsule the group walked carefully across the slimy rock, it would be very easy to slip and fall here. Almost instantly one of the few humans in this place walked up, from the quality of his clothes it looked as though the man had an official function of some sort, possibly he was here as a diplomat. If so it did not bode well for Sankt and his plans. This man took a short bow before Sankt before saying.

"Good evening master Zant, I see you are keeping new company. I am honoured by your unexpected presence. But you need not have came."

Sankt looked at the man who clearly believed him to be this world's Zant and decided to take this opportunity to sew mischief. So putting on his best authority ridden voice he said to the man.

"Ah but I am needed. I am here for an emergency strategy meeting. But I am also here to relive you. You may return to the mainland."

"But sir.."

Was the only reply the man had an opportunity to give. Before Sankt cut across.

"No but sirs, you are relieved of duty. Return to the mainland at once! Do not provoke me"

The man scuttled off at once, practically whimpering and entered the beautifully crafted capsule in order to return to the mainland. Several Zora were staring at Sankt now and rather than disillusion them about his identity he instead eyed each an every one of them from beneath his helmet before heading with distinct purpose towards the clam shell doors. As he drew closer to them with resolute steps two guards walked away from the door towards Sankt and snapped to attention respectfully with parade ground panache. It was not Zora custom to salute so they did not, instead they said in that distinctly wet voice common to all Zora.

"We over heard you are master Zant. Presumably you are here to see his highness, you will of course be allowed to do so, follow us sir."

This was a mixed blessing, true he was being taken to see the king but under false pretences, he would have to reveal his identity sooner or latter. On top of this it seemed the Zora had some relationship with the Termanian Zant and as such this would pose diplomatic difficulties. They were led to the clam shell door where upon it swung silently open. Beofre them stretched a huge natural rock walkway, the rock was pocked with what appeared to be a million air holes making Sankt believe that it was carved out of coral. About thirty meters bellow them was a huge pool or laggon, around its edge were doors leading into the rock itself whilst at the centre of the lagoon was a large island on which sat a tortoise. To the side of the island was an array of musical instruments and Zora swam happily in the water. The walk way eventually led to another, small door, roughly man sized but this one was far more ornate. It was in the shape of a conical shell, the spiral of the design embossed with gold, the rest was made of smoked glass. This door rather than swing back instead slid upward into the rock silently, as if frictionless. Through the door another odd sight could be seen. The coral walk way fanned out into the shape of an oyster shell forming a minis peninsular. Around this was a thick band of the purest water imaginable, you could almost smell the cleanness. On the far side of the room sat a large, fat Zora, with fish whiskers and big moist eyes. Not big and moist like a cute child or pet but like a repulsive lizard. He had tiny short fins protruding from his cheeks, arms and legs and oddly no head tail at all. He wore a tiny crown, originally made for a much smaller head. His massive bloated belly covered his thighs and it looked as though he would have difficulty standing up if he tried. All this said though he had his own aura, the mark of a magician and no small one at that. Almost at once Sankt removed his weapon, sheath and all and placed it on the ground, picking up on this sign of peace Link did the same, Midna, having no weapon to put down did nothing. Sankt had to help Link place his weapon upon the ground as Link's crutches prevented full and free movement including bending all the way down, to be honest it was a miracle that Link had not yet fallen upon the slippery rock.

The massive bloated Zora sat there, clearly he did not speak unless totally necessary and so it was up to Sankt to make the first move. He spoke in a clear and authoritative way.

"Your majesty, I have come here to speak to you, but first you must know who I am. Your guards believe me to be Zant, but this is untrue. I am from the other world, from the nation known as Hyrule. I am Zant's double."

At this the guards in the room and the guards who had escorted them snapped into combat mode and levelled their weapons at Sankt and his company. Sankt however quickly continued, gesturing at his laid down weapon for a moment.

"See, I mean you no harm, merely hear me out. Good people. No matter what Zant has said to you, wether he means well or not you are about to walk into the jaws of death. If he manages to mount a full scale war against Hyrule victory will be impossible. More powerful men than you have tried it in the past, foreign nations entire peoples, the list is endless. Yet time and time again they fail, Hyrule has the best martial and magical protections the world has to offer, the very goddesses themselves have interceded on her behalf in the past. It is a ar larger nation with allies, powerful ones. Zant can make life difficult for Hyrule true but he cannot win, he and everyone who opposes Hyrule will die eventually. This world will become a shell and even if victory were yours do you honestly think Zant cares about you? No. I however, my good friends am different. Though I come from Hyrule, I will save the people of this realm. I will stop Zant before he sends you all to the slaughter. I will defeat him and his army, I will fight war with war, but a briefer less damaging one. Ultimately many lives will be saved, your lives but I need soldiers to do this. Your people make fine warriors, agile and clever with amazing natural defences. Stand with me, stand against the deluded and obsessed Zant and spare this realm and its people."

Little did Sankt know but he had not bee soley speaking to the king, nor just the people in this room but to every single person in the city. Midna had relayed the message to every single room in the complex using her magical power. Her rational for helping Sankt in this way was that the more men Sankt had the quicker the war would be over, that way she would either be allowed back into her world or go back with them to Hyrule where she could meet Zelda and put a stop to Sankt's doubtless diabolical plans, whatever they were. Oddly she remembered the last time she was in a situation like this, she had spoken up for Sankt, said what a kind man he was, how considerate he had been, how comforting and consoling and even friendly. She then thought about the child, who had of course been Achim in disguise, the words of that child, such an innocent thing had shown her that not all family ere of the same nature. Perhaps… but no, she pushed such thoughts aside in favour of suspicion.

The opinions of the people were not yet apparent, but the king made his mind clear with very few words, clearly speaking was an undesired effort for this fat fish of a king.

"No, leave my presence. We are loyal to Zant. He will deliver us."

Sankt quickly resumed his vitriolic address.

"But Zant will destroy you, either by accident or design. I will look after you. Hyrule will look after you. The days of ignorance and hatred are gone, no longer do we fear the unexplained. We would now recognise you as people, though similar appearance not necessarily so in soul. Certainly not feeding on our souls. In our land many species and peoples live as one and so can you."

The king, rather than talk instead replied by puffing his cheeks out and then blowing a simply terrific gale, unprepared and on the slippery surface Sankt, Link and Midna were all blown clean back, out through both sets of doors and in to the communal area where the sea shell doors swiftly shut leaving the trio sprawling on the rock with their weapons, blown away with them. Sankt and Midna quickly rose but Link was still struggling, simultaneously Midna and Sankt took opposite arms and hauled the hero of time up onto his feet and brushed him down before glancing at one another, Sankt's expression invisible but Midna's was one of aggressive warning. So Sankt backed off a tad and turned around only to see a large group of Zora, far from the entire town but a fair sized chunk of it from the looks of things.

One member of the crowd walked forward and looked at Sankt, there were a few tension filled moments before the Zora spoke.

"Sankt, we mean you no harm, our king takes little interest in our affairs, not all of us are loyal to him and some of us are not loyal to Zant, we have the same fears you do. But unlike us you are doing something about it. Take us to your head quarters, wherever that may be. Then we can work together, towards stopping the mad man Zant."

Sankt gave a cautious nod whilst re attached his weapon to his side, eventually this nod became more confident before he waved the Zoras assembled with him to follow saying.

"Excelent, excellent, I am set up some way to the east of here…….."


	21. Southward Bound

Time had passed once again, this time another two weeks during which the camp had undergone some alterations. The small huddle of buildings close to the camp palisade had expanded, the smith was now much large and had moulds running out into the open ground as well as a team of people banding mail for the whole working day, a time consuming process. The mill was now up and running, the water wheel turning slowly to provide a regular melodic rhythm to the entire area. Achim's laboratory had not changed but he was a one man team and did not require additional space. If he were testing anything likely to explode he would take it out to the deeper desert that lay to the east of them. Some days loud thumps or snaps could be heard as his mixtures exploded with various intensities, either by accident or design. The tents and ramshackle shacks were now slowly being replaced by more solid wooden and mud structures, though only a few existed it was the beginning of a trend that would lead to better accommodation. Further more close to the river a larger mud structure had been erected to serve as a temporary school for the children. The irrigation channels and the land around them had now been seeded and small shoots were emerging from the soil whilst a little further up stream a small artificial lake had been dug, fed by the river, the water flow controlled in and out by a slews gate. Inside this reservoir the newly recruited Zora lived, small semi submerged huts lined the edge of the reservoir and served as their dwellings.

However, looking around the town now in the heat of midday a keen eye would notice that there were almost no men around, only old men, young boys and the lead blacksmith, everything else was being done by women so where were the men. A sound like thunder answered this question. Some way towards the dessert but not as far as Achim's testing grounds was a large stretch of dry compacted earth around which a few huts had been made for storage purposes. Currently in the middle of the dry compacted earth were the entire human male population of the village save one or two acceptations. They presented an odd sight for now, most looked like proper soldiers. With well fitted chain shirts hung over padded leather armour to absorb the shock of blunt weapons, over the chain shirts were single piece white sleeveless tabards that hung most of the way to the floor, partly covering legs defended by a slightly cheaper version of their torso protection where patched of mail had be sewne directly onto the padding in critical areas. Upon their hands they wore rough cowhide gloves and the same upon their feet, both a light brown colour. Upon their heads they wore largely Norman style helmets, simple shallow cones with a nose guard but one or two had added face protection, oddly however all ears were exposed, the reason for which was not readily apparent. As for equipment they all possessed large wooden rectangular shields with a thin outer metal layer in turn covered by a white fabric to make army identification easy. At their sides they wore broadswords put they were also all equipped with spears.

Another group of people who looked properly equipped were wearing nearly identical clothes to their spear wielding counterparts save they wore the type of protection the more regular footmen wore only on their legs all over. These men stood slightly away from the first group and wore a broadsword at their side but lacked shield or spear, opting instead for a bow and quiver of arrows. The bowmen were in turn split into two, those who were roughly six foot in stature, strong and hard working had the larger, immensely difficult to draw long bow whilst the others were equipped with short bows, smaller equivalent of their big brothers and easier to use though shorter in range and less penetrating over long distances.

A third distinct group was present, quickly distinguished by the fact they were on horse back. The horses were un armoured but their riders most certainly were, they possessed full body chain mail protection and their helmets were like Sankt's as well. In fact they could easily be confused for Sankt, the main differences being that Sankt's arms were covered by his white robe, these people had no such clothing, merely the same sleeveless tabard the foot men all had nor did they have a white headdress wrapped around their helmets. They did however, posses identical shields and hand and a half swords specifically asked for of the blacksmith by Sankt but unlike Sankt they did not posses the lengthened strap needed to do that odd surprise of Sankt's. They did however, all have primitive lances which were effectively thicker, heavier, longer spears with a far more savage head to them.

It has been said however, that only most of the people present looked properly equipped. At the back of every group were people in civilian clothing with only rough wooden versions of their counterpart's equipment, looking like children's toys. These were men receiving the exact same treatment as their tooled up colleagues, the only difference being their equipment was still under production by the black smith and his team. The sound of thunder earlier was the sound of all the feet coming to attention mere moments before dismissal where upon they all began to swarm down into the village to see their families and do whatever it is they wanted to do with their evening. They had just gone through a hard day's drill, learning the various combat formations and their proper usage, Sankt was determined not to simply equip his men, form them up and send them forward, he was going to create a unique, highly skilled professional army, second to none and that he could use time and time again in other wars around the world if need be. Sankt had been personally training the men that day along with Ruld and Nusstai, Achim was currently oddly absent. Link was now approaching up the shallow hill, no longer upon crutches and passed through the mass of white robed warriors, occasionally receiving warm greetings from one or two, once he had reached Sankt Link said.

"Nice fellows you have there. Nice training as well, I have never seen some of the stuff you lot were doing."

Sankt nodded eagerly, an effort somewhat dampened due to his helmet before retorting.

"Indeed, hopefully the enemy will never have seen it either, when it comes to open warfare I think we are well trained, we just have to keep on drilling them, after that only combat can improve a man. We lack siege weapons though, we are going to need to do something about that if we want to assault clock town directly. Still, we are doing well. How is Midna by the way?"

Link sighed and scuffed his feet about for a moment, looking at the dusty earth, clearly not all was well. Eventually he managed to say.

"She, well. She still hates this place, the only reason she stays and occasionally helps is because she wants this business over as quickly as possible. Truth be told when your hold over her is gone I would not be surprised if she tried to kill you. I can't work with her like that, she is going crazy so I stay away. Any time I try to convince her you are not inherently evil she spurns me like I am a moron, not worthy of having my opinion considered."

He took a few steps away and turned his back on Sankt, not out of spite but out of sadness and frustration at Midna's actions, little did Link know however, that Midna was having doubts, very few true but what had been said thus far had some small effect upon her. Plus she was missing Link awfully, she had been doing so for years but know she knew that he was within easy reach and still the two could not come together because of this surprisingly trivial argument. After all it was not whether or not they could trust each other, though Link may still have issues there, but whether they could trust a third party. But in typical Midna style, although she recognised the whole thing was perhaps a tad overblown her stubbornness insisted that Link be the one to back down, even though she was the one with doubts not him. Sankt was of course utterly oblivious to all this and instead took a step towards Link and lay a reassuring hand upon his shoulder.

"Well, try to get her onside. Normally I would advise you stop paying attention to her all together but that option seems to cut both of you up rather roughly. Besides I actively want Midna on side, don't ask why call it instinct. As for how to do that, well I will need time to do some pondering."

Link nodded his head for a moment, it was true he did not want to turn away from Midna, in his heart of hearts he knew that she deserved it, that woman had injured him grievously but he also knew he did not want to turn away. He simply cared too much for such a logical response. After a while Link turned to Sankt and said.

"Why do you care about whether Midna is on board or not?"

Sankt snorted and shook his head.

"I said don't ask. I remember saying before however that it was like an instinct or a compulsion."

Link looked confused, as did Ruld but Nusstai was nodding beneath his hood slowly before he contributed.

"Yes, I get the same thing. Heavens know why though."

This only made Link look more confused, pointing a curious finger at Nusstai he said with a raised eye brow.

"You too? This makes no sense, if it were something to do with Zant and Sankt being kin, then that may make a shred of sense, only a shred though. But throwing you in with things really doesn't."

Nusstai shook his head in mutual confusion, everyone was just going to have to accept that this situation at present made no sense. Add to this the fact that the present company currently had no time to spend on idle chatter, it had been some time now since the last venture, Sankt believed that his identity trick would no longer work. Still, he was determined to gain as much popular support as possible. Hake had reliably informed Sankt that the Deku shrub people who dwelt far to the south were fiercely independent of the main town and that they had some truly unique abilities that would be more than useful. So Sankt resolved to talk to these people next. He had done enough drilling here for a while, and Hake would oversee that side of things whilst he was gone. Plus there was of course the ever watchful eye of Achim to make sure no one misbehaved. He was one of those sort of people who just knew if something was up, he could feel it in his bones.

So Sankt was able to leave the camp confident it would be defended, but not him. After all word must have reached his double that Sankt was about and causing mischief. Doubtless heavily armed patrols would be out looking for him. So he decided to take company with him. Link was an obvious choice, though not fully trusted he was of course an excellent fighter and during negotiations he just had an aura of amicability that made one and all near by instantly get along, well most of the time. Hake and Achim needed to stay at the camp and Ruld would just slow everyone down if a quick get away was in order. Nusstai was quick and reliable, so Sankt called him over as well and then the though of Midna hit him. He did not want to leave that little trouble maker alone, even if Achim was near by, plus exposure to his works and methods may convince her of his goodliness. He never pretended to be perfect but quite frankly Midna was pushing it. With a wave of the hand he dispatched a runner to go and find her, wherever she may be and bring her to the front gate. He went off in search of Urko and eventually found the great white horse staring intensely at Epona whilst she for her part walked around nervously, unable to think how to react to the situation. Walking up to his horse Sankt patted him gently and whispered in Urko's ear.

"Now now, you have to be nice to her. Come one, we've got work to do."

Vaulting up onto Urko he then rubbed the horses neck before walking him gently to the castle gate, he saw Link go into the makeshift stables to get Epona just as he was leaving. Nusstai upon his brown mare was already waiting at the gate, he was never one to hang about. Midna was also present, oddly she was sitting upon Nusstai's horse, just behind him side saddle and the pair were locked in what appeared to be earnest conversation. Sankt was surprised by this turn of events. He was also perplexed and even intrigued when the pair looked flustered when interrupted? What had they been doing? Something Sankt, or perhaps no one else was supposed to know about maybe? Sankt made a mental not to gently grill Nusstai latter, this was interesting after all. By the time Link arrived the pair had stopped their earnest whispering, looking as if they had never done anything of the ilk at all. Though Link was also confused as to why Midna was ridding side saddle with Nusstai, he came to the conclusion that it was the lesser of the evils. After all relations with Link and Sankt were hardly warm at the moment. So putting all these anoing little problems to the side for a moment the group rode out to the lush plains and then south, to the even lusher forest and swamp. The trip was uneventful rather oddly. Sankt had expected to be intercepted by some form of patrol but there was nothing. He smelt a trap, things were just plain too easy right now. Still, if it meant he could make good time so be it and with hard ridding in chilly silence the group were soon on the edges of the steaming swamp.


	22. Welcome Allies and Unwelcome Guests

The group now found themselves on the edge of the swamp, to their left lay what seemed to be some sort of forest but the group was far more interested in what lay ahead. The swamp was many things but one thing it was not was quiet, birds could be heard chirping, tropical birds with peculiar almost sore throated calls. The rumbles, groans and calls of various lizards, reptiles and tropical frogs could also be heard and hardly a moment went by without something rustling in the bushes. Most of the plants here seemed over sized, massive shrubs with huge leaves, gargantuan blossoms sticking out from tall grasses of a million shades and colours. The water it self looked dark and murky with various algae like substances growing all over it and dark moving shapes bellow of some truly sinister predators. The main flow, if that word could be used, seemed to go into some sort of tunnel and there was no obvious way of getting there. You would have to be mad to swim the journey, a boat would be needed, and an oarsman who knew both his business and the way. A cursorary glance around revealed what seemed to be a small house upon sticks standing some short few meters ahead of them, accessible only by ladder. But a closer inspection showed that there was a row boat suspended by chains from this building, hung well away from the water. Sankt thought of simply stealing the boat but what would he do with it? He neither knew how to work it or how to go to the Deku settlement. So he, followed by Link and Nusstai climbed the ladder whilst Midna just appeared at the top looking down at the other three with a slight coy smile teasing them.

"Come come now slow pokes."

She was still looking at them cheekily when the three finally reached the top. Sankt just groaned slightly to himself before walking forward and opening the unlocked door, he had correctly assumed this was some sort of business but had incorrectly guessed what type of business it would be. He would have thought it some tour boat operator's reception area selling trips around the swamp and various swamp and Deku knickknacks and memorabilia. He was surprised to find a café instead. Bamboo tables strapped together with what looked like glass were surrounded by similar chairs. On the wall hung the heads of local game, a giant tortoise head, what looked like alligator heads as well though in fact they belonged to lizalfos, Octorok snouts were also present. At the tables sat a few falorne, sweaty looking characters. Most had some sort of spear or harpoon, clearly intending to hunt game in the swamp but were at the moment taking a rest and enjoying peculiar looking drinks that seemed to twist and turn as if possessing a life of their own, even the food here seemed not entirely dead yet but perhaps that was part of the attraction.

Sankt and the team were of course in no way interested in the food, indeed Sankt was quite keen to get out of this place as quickly as possible, he hated the smell, both of the café and the swamp. Advancing to what appeared to be the counter he rang a bell only to be greeted with a strange, nasal and yet feminine voice saying.

"Hang on, I'll be with you in a minute love."

This was followed by a few clangs and rattles until eventually a short, dark haired young woman in overalls and a greasy apron emerged, she seemed flustered with some sort of illness and wide eyed. However, breaking the look of a somewhat dodgy purveyor off food was a cutlass hanging at one side and on the wall behind her a loaded harpoon gun. She pulled a note pad out from her apron front pocket, gave a sniff and said.

"Right then my dears what can I get you?"

Midna had a raised eyebrow at all of this, she was not used to people throwing around terms like love and dear in such a casual manner, Link was however, put in mind of Telma, only slightly mind this woman was far slighter in stature. Nusstai just let it all wash over him, she seemed a perfectly normal character whilst Sankt could not care less, all he was interested in was the boat and he said as much.

"We are not interested in food, only the boat. We want to get the Deku palace and that boat of yours seems the only way."

Flipping her note book closed the woman shot up a quick glance and held it on Sankt's helmet. There was silence for a while before she shook her head saying.

"No no, sorry love. I would gladly give you the boat but you would never reach the palace. Only I know the way, used to hunt out there a lot, hence the trophies. But I am retried now, my café sees me right."

Sankt looked around, the woman only had a few desperate looking trophy hunters as clients but out here you never needed much money. Grabbing a menu he picked a mid const meal and multiplied that by the number of guests coming to a grand total of 147 rupees, or there about. Rummaging around in his robes he pulled out a coin purse and laid three hundred rupees on the table declaring.

"Is that enough to bring you out of retirement for one trip?"

The women rubbed her hands clean, or more accurately spread the grime about more evenly. She counted the money and looked even wider eyed for a moment before snatching it all up like some greedy hag saying, more to the money that Sankt.

"I'll see you outside."

And with that she was gone, grabbing the harpoon gun as she went.

Sankt and the team remerged from the café entrance and gathered by the waters edge, to Sankt the smell here was only marginally preferable to the sewers, he yearned to be back in the desert he loved and not just the Termanian dessert but his one, the desert in Hyrule, the Gerudo Dessert that he called home. But wait a moment, thoughts began to pour into his head, thoughts to do with the Twili Zant. If they really were relatives how come Sankt lived in a dessert, his people having done so supposedly for generations? Should he not be a Twili, what was going on? He had little time to considers this however, as the greasy little woman having lowered her boat into the water ceased the oars and called.

"Come on then you four, we can't hang around or those pesky Octoroks get ideas."

She gestured with a thumb for the group to climb in and this they all did obediently, whilst the café owner rowed along the other four were all watchful for threats lurking bellow. Nusstai had his bow stringed and was training it on the shadows whilst the others took a far more general approach. After a few uneventful minutes and having passed through the tunnel an octorok popped up from the depths several meters away and spat a rock at the boat, Nusstai loosed an arrow at the same time, puncturing the peculiar beast which instantly flipped onto his back and seemed to deflate, giving strangulated rubbery gasps as it became little more the a purple wrinkly pancake. The rock was still hurtling towards them but timely intervention from Lin and his trusty shield quickly solved that as the rock rebounded harmlessly into the water. The greasy café owner took all this in her stride and rowed on through the bewildering array of colour and blossom until eventually a primitive jetty, decaying through lack of use, eventually became visible. Tying up to this the woman hoped out of the boat and stood next to it, harpoon gun in hand, guarding her boat jealously. With a jerk of the head she gestured into a large wooden looking structure with an array of plants not so much growing on but out of it.

"They're in there my dears but don't expect anyone to be happy to see you."

She smirked slightly, meanwhile Sankt was somewhat baffled by the lack of guards. Walking up to the seemingly decaying entrance two of the shrubs on either side of the doorway suddenly burst up out of the ground revealing the leaves to be a weird version of hair and most of their body to be like a strange cross between a bulb and a nut, all brown and wrinkly as it was yet somehow moist. They had small yellow eyes and tiny limbs, almost seeming like under grown roots rather than arms and legs. They had no definite nose or mouth, merely a huge protrusion where their nose should have been that flared out like a trumpet. This served as a mouth as well and through it a series of raspy squeaks like a dog playing with a chew toy came. Oddly enough it was Sankt who replied instantly and in no way phased by the rather glaring language barrier.

"I am Sankt, an outsider and I wish to see your king on a matter of urgency."

Another barrage of squeaks returned his words to which he replied in the same style and confidence.

"Yes, I know everyone is an outsider but we have gone to great lengths to be here today. We wish to speak on a matter of urgency, the fate of the swamp and your people hangs in the balance."

The two Deku scrub guards looked at one another for a moment and squeaked amongst themselves, their trumpet like noses flaring out like in a cartoon until eventually one hopped off into the darkness and eventually returned with a few more harsh squeaks. The two guards then let the group pass and in time, through going straight ahead, they made it to the throne room. Or at least they assumed it to be a throne room. To be honest it was little more than a it with a fire in it and a very fat Deku shrub sitting upon a rock and holding what looked like a shamanistic staff with various brightly coloured feathers all over it and a rattle of some description. The King waved it viciously at Sankt and made a highly aggressive squeak, he was clearly not the most amicable of, plants. Sankt replied simply.

"Your people are under threat, the vengeance of the people of Hyrule upon this realm will not be a light one and when Zant looses the war, as he most certainly will. Anybody who did not stand against him will be brought to account."

Sankt would have continued but there were more violent squeaks and trumpet like noises coming from the king who now jumped up and down in an angry fashion. Sankt for his part remained calm and said to the king.

"No, despite his words Zant will not do well by you but I will. I can save you and offer you a new home if need be."

Sankt would have gone on talking but two guards forced the group out, the four of them could have easily over powered the guards but they all thought it best to avoid a fight. They were thrust unceremoniously onto the jetty where the greasy café owner was still stood, turning around she smiled at them saying.

"Five minutes, longest I ever knew an outsider be in there, they must have liked you."

She chuckled slightly but the chuckle soon turned into a look of worry as several Deku came whiling over the walls of the decaying palace, large head leaves acting as propellers in the style of a helicopter. The café owner began to scramble to the boat, gesturing frantically for everyone to get on board screaming.

"Quick, quick they are going to kill us!"

Not wishing to argue with a woman who knew this neck of the woods the group practically dove into the boat as she began to row away as quickly as her oars would allow. The Deku shrubs however were far faster in the air and quickly surrounded the undeniably rickety vessel but oddly they did not attack. Instead they simply escorted the vessel to land before gathering in a squeaky circle around Sankt and bouncing up and down excitedly like attention deficit disorder sufferers. One squeaked in a highly excited tone and judging by almost acknowledging lesser squeaks he seemed to squeak for the group. Sankt nodded his head a few times at these squeaks but remained silent until eventually he turned to the group and said.

"It seems these boys here are less than enthusiastic about the current reign of their king and Zant, they share similar concerns to those Zora who followed us a few weeks ago. They are with us, I reckon we can take them back to base."

The others offered no complaints at this and the column of Deku followed the four of them across the great plain. Nusstai and his ever watchful eye thought he saw a small column of horses in the distance heading east from Clock Town towards their encampment. It was far to few people to be an attack group, plus at this kind of distance he may well be mistaken.

Still the group had an uneventful journey, a very odd thing since they had a highly visible column of whirling Deku preferring to remain airborne than walk. But when they eventually reached the camp standing just outside the door was a very shy and nervous looking Ruld. Sankt waved the Deku over the barricade so as that they could make themselves at home whilst pulling up next to Rule whilst upon Urko and looking the giant man mountain in the eye. There stood the colossus twiddling his thumbs and remaining silent until Sankt said.

"What's the problem mate?"

Ruld remained quiet for a little bit longer before saying in a voice like a mouse.

"We,ve got visitors."

At this Nusstai hissed and snapped his fingers in frustration, he knew he had seen riders ahead of them, he should have alerted the group and speed the column up. Midna was just glaring at Ruld as if he was stupid and Link was just generally appearing confused. Sankt however, was a tad impatient as he asked.

"Who, who is here? Some of Zant's men?"

Ruld shook his head and continued to look awkward and a tad shy.

"Achim, you should see Achim he's really not happy."

Sankt knew he was not going to get an answer from Ruld, for pity's sake he was sitting outside the camp unable to face what was inside, Achim must really be angry at Ruld, or perhaps just annoyed at the world in general. Once they had entered the camp Midna hastily jumped off Nusstai's horse and walked away, eager to dissociate herself from things. The other three however, kept on going towards the temple where they instinctively knew Achim would be, and indeed he was there. Arms crossed glaring at a wall. At first sight of Sankt however, he walked in an aggressive fashion up to the horses and hissed.

"You'll never know who that bloody princess we call a ruler sent up."

Sankt was gripped with concern, he was not surprised someone had been sent to check on their progress, they had been gone for several weeks without a word to Hyrule but just who had been sent to check on them? Dismounting Sankt enterd the temple almost nervously, leaving Achim mumbling maliciously at the entrance. When inside he saw almost instantly what the problem was as an angry woman advance upon him, finger out stretched in accusation, there stood Ashei already spewing angry words.

"There you are! Where were you? You are supposed to be protecting Hyrule not going out and collecting friends! Yeah?"

Sankt just groaned and began to mentally filter all of this out, in his head he was just repeating to himself over and over again. "These people are Zelda's friends, do not anger them, do not anger them. Never hit someone more influential than you." But the task of not becoming violent scarcely became any easier as yet more familiar faces emerged. From the shadows came Auru with a large tube strapped across his back which offset his comparatively fine yet still practical attire. His elderly face portrayed his undeniable wisdom and his voice matched the face, he sounded more like a scholar whilst Achim sounded like a priest, all be it one of the old fashioned educated ones.

"Your progress has been slow, Hyrule has come under attack since you were gone. Kakariko village came under attack similar to Castle Town's and only we were there to defend it. Did you not think about more attacks. Why have you done nothing?"

Sankt's fists clenched, the chink of mail audible in this dark place. He was expecting Telma next but no more voices came, clearly the whole group had not been sent, wise if they were being relied upon to defend the realm. Though why on earth they were being relied upon flummoxed him. Were there no longer guardsmen. Then of course Sankt remembered the guards had all the spine of a jellyfish and could in no way be relied upon in a fight. Not wishing to talk to Ashei in any way shape or form he instead advanced intently on Auru, at least he was a reasonable man.

"Look, do you have any idea how hard it is to bring down a nation. Months, usually years of planning go into it, be glad I am on the brink of a major assault after a few poultry weeks and yet you come barging down here demanding results."

Auru was in no mood to be messed with and retorted.

"That matters not young one, deal with the leaders and be done with it."

Sankt turned though ninety degrees and quickly smashed a fist into a near by wall causing a small hail of dust before saying through gritted teeth.

"Silence cretin! You no nothing of the situation here, we must purge an entire people, this is a situation very different to the Zant one and bugger all use you were in that as well. Not a once did you strike a notable independent blow. You left all that to good old Link."

Auru just snorted his derision and shook his head before replying.

"This will not look good on your report to the Princess."

Sankt had by now begun to leave the temple, he could now see why Achim was so furious as he felt it as well. Turning quickly to face Auru he extended a finger and almost bellowed.

"Damn you and Damn the Princess, if either you or she believe this to be failure then you need to reassess your standards and come to grips with the realities of the situation. Now if you have finished your uneducated drivel I have a war to win."

With that he stormed out, Ashei screaming mocking words aimed mainly at his manhood as he left. The only reason why she did not actively pursue was because her mood was near instantly lightened by the appearance of Link who chatted with Ashei and Auru at length and all was well between them whilst Sankt, storming past Achim grabbed his old friend y the arm and almost dragged him to the drilling ground just saying over and over again.

"Oh we'll show those bloody fools, we'll show them."

In response to this Achim merely smiled to himself, a very secret smile, a knowing one, a sinister one.


End file.
